President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday called on local government units (LGUs) to aggressively ramp up public awareness of the national government’s healthcare programs, noting that a significant number of Filipinos remain unaware of the medical benefits and financial assistance available to them.
Speaking during the oathtaking ceremony of the newly elected national and regional officers of the Provincial Board Members League of the Philippines (PBMLP) at Malacañang, President Marcos emphasized that local leaders are the crucial “last mile” link in ensuring healthcare services reach even the most remote communities.
“The other example that we need your help in local government is our healthcare system. We are rolling out so many programs, but the problem is our countrymen are still not aware that these exist,” President Marcos said.
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Zero Balance Billing (ZBB): The President expressed surprise that many citizens are still unfamiliar with the ZBB policy, which guarantees completely free healthcare services for qualified patients admitted to basic or ward accommodations in Department of Health (DOH) hospitals.
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Expanded PhilHealth Coverage: Under the current administration, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation has significantly increased financial coverage for critical treatments, including dialysis, cancer care, and maternal healthcare.
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Free Medicine Allowances: The President highlighted that the government provides certain sectors with an annual allowance of PhP20,000 for free medicines—a benefit many patients still pay out-of-pocket for due to a lack of information.
President Marcos shared firsthand accounts of encountering patients who still complain about the prohibitive costs of medical treatments and prescription drugs, unaware that the government has mechanisms in place to cover these expenses.
“I still go to hospitals and people tell me, ‘Oh, the medicine is so expensive.’ And we say, ‘Wait, you shouldn’t be paying for that medicine.’ So, we really need to make this known to them,” the Chief Executive added.
The Administration urges all provincial board members and local officials to utilize their grassroots networks to educate their constituents, ensuring that no Filipino is denied quality healthcare simply due to a lack of information.
