Bacolod City – The Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) in Negros Occidental has been designated as the Department of Health (DOH) hospital in the Negros Island Region.
In accordance with the directive of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the administration has assured that every Filipino can avail for free the services and medicines of basic accommodation at DOH Hospitals.
With the additional 15 percent funds in Maintenance and Other Operating Expense (MOOE) ordered by the President himself, DOH hospitals are better prepared to implement the No Balance Billing policy, which is a concrete step towards better quality medical services for all.
Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, the principal author of the Universal Health Care law, called on Congress to pass Senate Bill No. 1, which proposes a P74.4 billion supplemental budget for the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), saying the success of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law depends on adequate and timely funding.
Ejercito said the funding boost is crucial to achieving zero balance billing in government hospitals—a key reform that would eliminate out-of-pocket payments for indigent patients, senior citizens, and other vulnerable groups.
While welcoming President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s commitment to the UHC during his State of the Nation Address (SONA), Ejercito lamented the slow rollout of benefits already mandated under the law.
He noted that services such as free consultations, cancer screenings, and zero billing are already embedded in the UHC framework.
“Had there been seriousness in implementing UHC from the beginning, there would be no need to announce these benefits one by one,” Ejercito said.
“Every Filipino should have long been feeling these benefits—medicines should not be a problem, expenses should not be a barrier, and consulting a doctor should not feel like a privilege,” he added.
On the other hand, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has clarified that no additional documents are needed for members to avail of the Zero Billing or No Balance Billing (NBB) Policy in DOH hospitals across the country.
In an official statement, PhilHealth stressed that the policy is automatic and inclusive, in accordance with the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law.
PhilHealth emphasized that even those unable to pay contributions are covered.
The agency further assured the public of its commitment to uphold the law’s provisions. (Gilbert Bayoran via tvds with PNA reports)