The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said the government is allocating P58 billion this year for medical assistance to poor patients under its Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially-Incapacitated Patients (MAIP), 78 percent higher than the P32.6 billion allocation last year.
The DBM said the MAIP is used for the hospitalization and medical support of indigent and financially incapacitated patients including, but not limited to, in-patient, out-patient, comprehensive checkups and emergency services as well as drugs, medicines and professional fees, among others.
The approved allocation is also significantly higher than the 2024 General Appropriations Bill level of P22.264 billion.
“Among the many things that the pandemic underscored the past few years, not just in the Philippines but all over the world, is our need for equity-focused health care. Historically, health discrepancies endure among marginalized groups, which is why our government is doing its best to give every Filipino, especially the most vulnerable, access to fair and quality medical care,” said DBM Secretary Mina Pangandaman.
Under the “Bagong Pilipinas” initiative, President Marcos is keen on improving the overall health care system of the country and is making medical help more accessible to Filipinos, both of which are instrumental to achieving the socioeconomic goals of the administration, she added.
The program covers Department of Health (DOH) hospitals, specialty hospitals, state universities and colleges, local government units and other health facilities, both private and public, subject to the guidelines issued by the DOH.
For accountability and research purposes, DOH posts on its website the name of recipient hospitals and the age, gender, city, municipality and the disease of indigent and financially incapacitated beneficiaries, Pangandaman noted. – Ruelle Castro
