DBM releases additional P1.855B to PGH, P800M for zero balance billing

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Wednesday announced it has released P1.855 billion in additional funding to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH).

In a news release, the DBM said that of the total additional funding, P1.040 billion will support the provision of medical services at PGH, while P800 million is allocated for the Universal Health Care Fund for Zero Balance Billing (ZBB).

The Budget Department said the P800-million allocation will support PGH’s implementation of the government’s commitment to reduce or eliminate out-of-pocket hospital expenses for eligible patients, consistent with Republic Act No. 11223, or the Universal Health Care Act, and applicable guidelines.

Apart from supporting ZBB and other medical services, the agency said P15 million will be provided for the treatment of Dystonia-Parkinsonism, or Lubag Syndrome, helping ensure continued access to specialized treatment and related medical requirements for patients affected by the condition.

As the national university hospital and one of the country’s foremost referral centers, PGH handles patients requiring a broad range of medical services, including complex and specialized cases referred from across the country.

“Government must help make sure that needing medical care does not become a financial crisis for Filipino families,” said Budget Secretary Kim Robert de Leon.

“Every peso we release for health must ultimately reach the patient. This P1.855 billion is not simply additional funding on paper—it means more resources for treatment, less financial pressure on families, and continued support for patients who depend on PGH for critical and specialized care,” said De Leon.

The Budget chief further said the release reflects President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to keep health care and other essential public services among the government’s foremost priorities despite competing demands on limited fiscal resources.

“Our fiscal space may be limited, but when lives and essential health services are at stake, government must find the resources and make them count. The President’s direction is clear: we must protect the services that Filipinos need most,” he said.

The DBM said the release was undertaken in accordance with applicable budget execution rules and requirements, ensuring that additional resources for PGH are mad — RSJ, GMA News