BDO Unibank is expanding access to quality medical services by allowing patients to pay hospital bills through flexible credit card installment plans—a move that could help ease out-of-pocket financial pressure for many Filipinos.

Through its latest program, BDO cardholders can avail themselves of 0 percent interest installment plans on select services at partner institutions, including The Medical City, UERM Medical Center, Marikina Valley Medical Center, The Premier Medical Center, Shinagawa Diagnostic, and Kato Repro Biotech Center. Cardholders can also access rates as low as 0.70 percent monthly add-on at other major private hospitals such as Makati Medical Center, Asian Hospital and Medical Center, St. Luke’s Medical Center – Global City, St. Luke’s Medical Center – Quezon City, Cardinal Santos Medical Center, Jesus Delgado Memorial Hospital, and St. Clare’s Medical Center.

The bank said the offer runs through 30 June 2026. Mechanics are available via the BDO Pay app under the “Hospital Installment” section.

The initiative comes amid persistently high medical expenses in the Philippines. Government data show total health spending reached P1.56 trillion in 2024, with average per-person healthcare costs rising to about P12,751—up 18 percent from 2023. Despite increased public funding, households continue to shoulder a disproportionate share of costs, with out-of-pocket payments accounting for roughly 42.7 percent of current health expenditure—nearly matching government spending.

In response, the Department of Health and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation expanded the zero balance billing policy in public hospitals, ensuring that patients admitted to basic or ward accommodations in DOH-listed facilities incur no hospital bills under the program. More than one million beneficiaries were reported in its first few months of implementation.

However, private hospital care largely falls outside these protections. BDO’s installment solutions offer a complementary option for patients facing significant, immediate medical expenses at private facilities, helping families manage cash flow without compromising access to care.

By partnering with leading hospitals and specialty centers, BDO positions its card platform not only as a lifestyle and retail payment tool but also as a financial buffer for essential services. As healthcare remains a priority spending category, installment-based solutions are becoming an increasingly relevant feature of the country’s evolving consumer finance landscape.