The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released P27.410 billion to cover medical assistance for indigent and financially incapacitated Filipinos nationwide, funding hospitalization, medicines, emergency treatment, professional fees and other health services.
The allocation supports the Department of Health’s Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) Program. Budget Secretary Kim Robert C. De Leon noted that the funding aims to convert government resources into immediate relief for families facing healthcare costs.
“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,” De Leon said.
Drawn from the DOH regular budget under the 2026 General Appropriations Act, the funds are distributed across several channels. Centers for Health Development (CHDs) receive P19.145 billion to provide assistance through partner local government hospitals, private institutions and local health facilities nationwide. DOH Regional and Metro Manila Hospitals receive P4.353 billion, while GOCC Specialty Hospitals receive P2.910 billion split among facilities such as the Lung Center of the Philippines, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Philippine Children’s Medical Center and Philippine Heart Center. Additionally, UP-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) receives P950 million, and Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers receive P52 million.
De Leon stressed that directing the largest share to CHDs ensures that assistance reaches patients outside major urban 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,” he said.
The initiative also supports the implementation of eMAIFIP via the eGovPH superapp, following DOH guidelines and Presidential Directive No. PBBM-2026-1881-1886, to simplify the process for patients seeking financial aid.