The P20 billion has been allocated by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) in the proposed 2026 national budget for the Zero Balance Billing (ZBB) program of the Department of Health (DOH). This aims to help indigent patients or poor patients.
According to Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, this fund includes the payment of room and board, medicines, and medical tests in public hospitals. PhilHealth will cover all covered expenses, so the patient will not have to pay anything.
Special Assistant to the President Frederick Go said that this amount was estimated by the DOH to implement the ZBB program. However, according to Senator Bam Aquino, the P20 billion is insufficient because the program would have been implemented long ago if it had been sufficient.
For next year, the DOH's total funding will also increase by P6 billion to P253.5 billion from the current P247.5 billion. In addition, there is a P53.2 billion subsidy for PhilHealth after no funds were allocated this year due to the agency's large remaining funds.
Based on DOF data, PhilHealth's remaining funds are expected to reach P348 billion by the end of 2025. The additional subsidy will serve as support for the continuation of free medical services under the ZBB.
