Marcos’ birthday treat: Free medical services in public hospitals

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday, September 13 said that the Office of the President has allocated P300 million to the Department of Health (DOH) to provide free medical services in public hospitals across the country. 

On his birthday, Marcos announced that patients in hospitals such as the Philippine General Hospital and more will waive its fees for today. The funding will be lodged under the DOH’s Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients program. 

“Sa araw na ito, naglaan po tayo ng lagpas P300 milyon na pondo mula sa aking tanggapan upang gawing libre ang serbisyo ng mga pampublikong, tertiary hospitals sa bansa kagaya ng Philippine General Hospital sa Maynila, sa Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center sa Cebu at ang Amai Pakpak Medical Center sa Marawi, at iba pang government hospital,” Marcos said in a speech in Nueva Ecija. 

(On this day, we have allocated P300 million in funding from my office to make services free in public, tertiary hospitals in the country like the Philippine General Hospital in Manila, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu and the Amai Pakpak Medical Center sa Marawi, and other government hospitals.) 

In a separate statement, the DOH said that the following hospitals are included in the president’s proclamation.     

Metro Manila

Luzon

Visayas

Mindanao

“Further to the level three public hospitals listed above, all other level three hospitals nationwide are also included,” the DOH said. 

To avail of the free services, patients will be interviewed by the Medical Social Services. Upon evaluation and approval, the following services will be free to patients:  hospital bill, drugs and medicines, laboratory and diagnostic procedures, dental services, implants; therapy and rehabilitative services, chemotherapy and dialysis.