Philippines releases P10.38 billion for Zero Balance Billing hospital program

The Philippine government has approved the release of P10.377 billion to fund the Zero Balance Billing (ZBB) program, aimed at reducing out-of-pocket hospitalization costs for eligible patients in public hospitals.

Acting Budget Secretary Kim Robert de Leon stated the initiative is intended to ensure citizens do not have to choose between medical care and financial stability. The funding is part of the government’s Universal Health Care efforts and is charged against the Department of Health budget under the Fiscal Year 2026 General Appropriations Act.

The allocation is distributed across three main areas:

- P3.342 billion for Department of Health (DOH) hospitals within Metro Manila, including facilities such as the National Children’s Hospital and San Lazaro Hospital. - P6.035 billion for DOH regional hospitals and other public health facilities located outside the capital region. - P1 billion to pilot the program in six local government unit (LGU) hospitals in Benguet, Batatangas, Laguna, Quezon, Aklan, and Sarangani, marking an expansion of the program beyond DOH-run institutions.