FOLLOWING the announcement made by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr in his State of the Nation Address, the Department of Health (DOH) yesterday said the “zero balance billing” is now being implemented in all 87 DOH hospitals nationwide.
“The President directed a soft launch of the zero balance billing in a number of DOH hospitals nationwide last May 2025 to ensure that it is real and sustainable,” DOH spokesperson Albert Domingo said in an interview. “With the President’s announcement during his SONA, it is now a nationwide policy in all DOH hospitals.”
In his SONA last Monday, Marcos said the administration is pushing through with the zero balance billing policy in all DOH hospitals.
Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, speaking at the 2025 Post-SONA briefing, said the Philippine Health Insurance Corp (PhilHealth) “will pay for the hospitalization, its case rate” while the DOH’s maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE), or what we call the quantified free service from our funds will have the doctor paid because through the salary.”
He said the benefit may be availed of by any Filipino as long as the person is admitted in basic accommodation or ward section of DOH hospitals.
“As long as you don’t go to a private room, where there is a fee for a room and the doctor. But for basic accommodation, that’s already paid for,” he said.
He acknowledged there may be instances when out-of-pocket expenses may be necessary.
“There are some expensive procedures, expensive diagnostic tests, and expensive surgeries. These may be exemptions. But those are very rare. Most of the time, it will be fully covered,” he said.
HPV VACCINE
All nine-year-old girls will be eligible to receive free vaccines against human papilloma virus (HPV) which causes cervical cancer, starting in September, Herbosa said.
“This is the first time we will have this program for HPV. Prior to this, the only HPV that was purchased are those for the poorest. We earlier proposed that all nine-year-old girls (be given). In the budget for 2025, it was given. This is the first time HPV vaccination will be done,” he added.
Herbosa said the immunization program will greatly unburden Filipinos as each dose of HPV costs P4,000.
“They need two doses. That will cost P8,000. Now, the government will pay for this,” he said.
Aside from the HPV vaccines, the DOH will also start immunization drives for other school-aged vaccines by September, including against measles, rubella, tetanus, and diphtheria.
“By September or October, we will launch our school-aged vaccination campaign,” he said.
“The demand is there. We just thought anti-vaxxers are noisy on social media. But most mothers want their children to be vaccinated. Our job is to provide the vaccines and make sure they are available at the health centers,” he added.
“Our target is usually 95 percent of about 2 million children for them to complete their vaccines,” Herbosa also said.
