DBM releases P27.41B for medical assistance to poor Filipinos

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Friday announced it has released P27.410 billion in medical assistance for indigent and financially incapacitated Filipinos nationwide.

In a news release, the DBM said the funding release will support the continued implementation of the Department of Health’s (DOH) Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) Program.

MAIFIP provides assistance to patients who cannot fully afford the cost of treatment and other medical services, especially families struggling with the cost of hospitalization, medicines, emergency treatment, professional fees, and other healthcare needs.

“The P27.4 billion we are releasing is meant to translate into real help at the hospital level—medicines that can be bought, procedures that can be performed, and medical bills that families do not have to shoulder on their own. This is a substantial investment, but its true value will be measured by the number of Filipinos it is able to help,” said Budget Secretary Kim Robert de Leon.

The Budget Department said the amount is chargeable against the DOH Regular Budget under the Fiscal Year 2026 General Appropriations Act and will support the funding requirements of Centers for Health Development (CHDs), DOH hospitals in Metro Manila and the regions, GOCC Specialty Hospitals, the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH), and Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers.

Of the P27.41 billion total, the largest share of P19.145 billion will go to CHDs to support the delivery of medical assistance through partner local government hospitals, privately owned institutions, and other health facilities across the country.

Another P4.353 billion will support DOH hospitals in Metro Manila and the regions; P2.910 billion will go to GOCC Specialty Hospitals, such as the Lung Center of the Philippines, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Philippine Children’s Medical Center, and Philippine Heart Center; P950 million to UP-PGH; and P52 million to Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers.

“Medical need does not recognize geography or income. Whether a patient is in Metro Manila or in the provinces, government assistance should be within reach. That is why the bulk of this funding will flow through our Centers for Health Development and partner facilities across the country, so that help is available closer to where our people actually live and seek treatment,” said De Leon.

The DBM said the funding will also support the implementation of eMAIFIP through the eGovPH superapp, pursuant to DOH guidelines and Presidential Directive No. PBBM-2026-1881-1886, as the government moves to make medical assistance more accessible through digital channels.

“We also want to make getting government assistance less burdensome. A patient or a family already dealing with illness should not have to navigate an unnecessarily difficult process just to seek help. With eMAIFIP, we are supporting a system that is more accessible, more efficient, and more responsive to the people who need it,” De Leon said. — Ted Cordero/RSJ, GMA News