Marcos pushes for fully subsidized healthcare, eyes zero out-of-pocket costs

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced on July 9 the government’s long-term goal of eliminating all out-of-pocket expenses for hospital care, moving toward a fully subsidized healthcare system for all Filipinos.

Speaking during the turnover ceremony of 387 patient transport vehicles (PTVs) at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila, Marcos said the administration is laying the groundwork for universal healthcare by improving infrastructure, services, and financial accessibility.

“Kaya ipagpapatuloy namin ang pagpapatibay hindi lamang sa paramihan nitong transport vehicle, kung hindi pati na ang buong health system natin, buong healthcare system natin,” Marcos said in his address.

He noted that while Filipinos currently shoulder a portion of medical expenses, the government is steadily working to reduce these costs through improved public health financing.

“Binababaan natin ang payment, ang bayad, kasi kahit papaano ‘yung pasyente pagka magpapatingin o magpapagaling ay mayroon pa ring kontribusyon. At dahan-dahan naming babawasan ‘yang kontribusyon ng pasyente,” he said.

Marcos emphasized that the end goal is to shift toward a system where patient contributions are removed altogether, with only minimal administrative fees remaining, similar to what is practiced in several countries with universal health coverage.

“Kung tayo’y magawa natin, ‘pag naayos natin ang ating ekonomiya nang mabuti at kaya na natin ay kaya naman siguro natin, wala ng kontribusyon ang pasyente” he said. “Siguro ‘yung kagaya sa ibang lugar na nakikita ko na nasubukan ko, administrative cost lang… That is the aspiration.”

He admitted, however, that current resources and the healthcare budget are not yet sufficient to implement the no-payment model, but he assured the public that the government is realigning its priorities and investments to realize this vision over time.

The President also cited efforts to modernize public hospitals, expand specialty centers, and scale up Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Service (BUCAS) centers, which cater to non-emergency cases that do not require hospital confinement.

He said the turnover of the PTVs is part of the government’s broader initiative to strengthen emergency medical response and improve access to health services, especially in underserved communities.

The distribution of the PTVs across Luzon marked the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office’s largest single-day deployment of such units, as another 123 units will be delivered to the Visayas and 105 to Mindanao later this week.

Marcos said the investment in emergency response equipment is only the beginning, as the administration continues to focus on healthcare as a critical pillar of national development.