DOH eyes opening more BUCAS Centers in 2026

The Department of Health (DOH) said on Monday that it is planning to open more Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Services (BUCAS) Centers nationwide to make free outpatient services more accessible.

DOH Secretary Ted Herbosa said 31 BUCAS Centers are currently under construction. He is also looking to convert 312 existing super health centers into mini-BUCAS facilities.

“Mayroon tayong kino-construct na 31…Mayroon pa akong tinitignan na gusto ko ma-convert into BUCAS Center, nakakita ako ng 312 superhealth centers na natapos na namin at nai-turnover na sa mga LGUs pero hindi pa nila napapatakbo dahil wala silang personnel," he said.

(We have 31 currently under construction. I’m also looking at other sites that I want to convert into BUCAS Centers. I’ve identified 312 super health centers that we have completed and turned over to LGUs, but they aren’t operational yet because they lack personnel.)

"So kung yung LGU ay willing to have a contract with us, patakbuhin na namin, we will run it like a mini-BUCAS,” Herbosa said in an interview on Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.

BUCAS Centers provide basic health services such as laboratory tests and minor treatments. Herbosa said there are currently 60 BUCAS Centers operating nationwide.

“I now have 60 of these BUCAS centers all over the Philippines at ang nagpapatakbo yung aking mga hospital directors. In fact, yung unang itinayo namin mayroon ng CT Scan,” he said.

(I now have 60 BUCAS Centers across the Philippines, managed by my hospital directors. In fact, the very first one we built already has a CT Scan.)

“Yung mga test na gusto niyong nakukuha—chemistry, ultrasound, x-ray, CT Scan—mayroon tayo niyan sa iba’t ibang BUCAS Centers. So inilapit natin sa mga communities,” Herbosa added.

(The centers offer tests such as chemistry, ultrasound, x-ray, and CT scans, making these services more accessible to local communities.)—MCG, GMA Integrated News