Senator Risa Hontiveros has proposed setting aside P15 billion in the proposed 2026 national budget to expand the zero balance billing (ZBB) program to hospitals run by local government units (LGUs), as the bicameral conference committee continues deliberations on the spending plan.

Hontiveros said she raised the proposal before the Senate contingent of the bicameral panel, seeking a special provision that would earmark about 30 percent of the P51 billion approved for the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program for ZBB in LGU hospitals.

“Kung tanggapin ang special provision na ito sa budget, magagarantiya natin na P15 billion o 30% ng P51 billion para sa MAIFIP ang mapupunta sa mga LGU hospitals para sa libreng pagpapagamot sa ilalim ng ZBB (If this special provision is accepted in the budget, we can guarantee that P15 billion, or 30 percent of the P51 billion for MAIFIP, will go to LGU hospitals for free medical treatment under zero balance billing),” Hontiveros, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, said Tuesday.

She expressed hope that the Senate bicameral contingent would support the proposal, noting that lawmakers had already responded to the Department of Health’s request to expand ZBB coverage by allocating P1 billion for the program in the Senate’s version of the 2026 budget.

At present, ZBB covers the full cost of services for patients admitted under basic or ward accommodation in hospitals operated by the Department of Health. Hontiveros’ proposed special provision seeks to extend the same benefit to LGU-run hospitals.

“Sa pamamagitan ng special provision ko, mas maraming Pilipino ang pwedeng makakuha ng libreng pagpapa-ospital sa ilalim ng ZBB dahil hindi na lang ang mga pasyente ng 86 DOH hospitals ang pwedeng mag-benepisyo dito, kundi pati na rin ang mga kababayan nating binibigyan ng serbisyo ng daan-daang LGU hospitals (Through my special provision, more Filipinos will be able to receive free hospitalization under zero balance billing because it will no longer be limited to patients of the 86 DOH hospitals, but will also cover our fellow citizens served by hundreds of LGU hospitals),” she said.

Hontiveros said the proposal is part of broader reforms she is pushing to improve the government’s medical assistance system, citing Senate Bill No. 1593 or the proposed Universal Health Care Medical Assistance Program, which she recently sponsored on the Senate floor.

“Layunin ng panukalang batas na ito na idiretso na ang medical assistance sa mga ospital para sila na mismo ang mamigay nito sa kanilang mga pasyente (The aim of this bill is to channel medical assistance directly to hospitals so that they themselves can provide it to their patients),” she said. “Kung sino man ang may kailangan ng alalay, bibigyan agad-agad. Walang kapalit. Walang kondisyon. Walang palakasan (Whoever needs help will be given assistance immediately. No strings attached. No conditions. No favoritism).”

Under the measure, patients would apply for medical assistance through registered social workers, who would be required to process applications within 72 hours, replacing the current system of guarantee letters.

Hontiveros assured she would continue to push for health sector reforms beyond the ongoing budget deliberations to ensure broader access to quality and affordable health care for Filipinos.

“Magtutuloy ang aking adbokasiya para sa mga makabuluhang reporma sa ating universal health care system gaya ng aking matagal nang pagtulak para dito noon, sa budget deliberations ngayon, at sa patuloy kong pagtatrabaho sa Senado sa hinaharap (My advocacy for meaningful reforms in our universal health care system will continue, just as I have long pushed for these reforms in the past, during the current budget deliberations, and in my ongoing work in the Senate in the future),” Hontiveros said.