President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. calls on local government units (LGUs) to adopt the zero balance billing program in their hospitals, after its successful rollout in 78 Department of Health (DOH) facilities.

“Ang aking samo ay maging laganap din ito sa mga hospital sa ilalim ng lokal na pamahalaan. Kung saan, hindi kailangan maglabas ng pera ang mga naghihirap nating may sakit,” Marcos said during the oath-taking of newly elected officials of the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP).

The program exempts patients in basic or ward accommodations from paying hospital bills, helping ease the burden on struggling families. However, the coverage does not extend to emergency room treatments, since patients there are still regarded as outpatients. These cases fall under PhilHealth’s outpatient emergency care benefits.

Marcos stressed that expanding the initiative is vital to “ensuring accessible and affordable healthcare for all Filipinos.”

The President also encouraged the use of technology like Artificial Intelligence (AI) for data analysis to strengthen public service. “Mga kapwa lingkod-bayan, naririto tayo dahil pinagkakatiwalaan tayo ng taumbayan. Huwag po natin silang bibiguin,” he said.

Marcos has recently visited the Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center, Eastern Visayas Medical Center, and East Avenue Medical Center to oversee the program’s implementation.