Tovic Salvador

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.  leads the launch of PhilHealth’s “Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) Para Malayo sa Sakit” on July 25, 2025, at Gateway Mall in Cubao, Quezon City. The program builds on the 2021 Konsulta initiative by expanding access to essential primary care services. It now includes additional medicines, laboratory tests, and cancer screening at accredited facilities nationwide. Designed to promote early detection and preventive care, YAKAP aims to improve health outcomes for Filipinos at every stage of life. Joining the president during the launch are DOH Secretary Ted Herbosa, SAP Frederick Go, Philhealth President Dr. Edwin M. Mercado, Jason Jalandoni, Director and Development  Officer of Care Center Clinic, former senator Mar Roxas of the Araneta Group and other officials from the Department of Health, OSAPIEA, PhilHealth, and the Care Center Clinic. 


Yummie Dingding, PPA Pool

Article (news)

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176536094855020250725-philhealth-yakap-PPA02 (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.  leads the launch of PhilHealth’s “Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) Para Malayo sa Sakit” on July 25, 2025, at Gateway Mall in Cubao, Quezon City. Yummie Dingding, PPA Pool/File" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.  leads the launch of PhilHealth’s “Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) Para Malayo sa Sakit” on July 25, 2025, at Gateway Mall in Cubao, Quezon City. <em>Yummie Dingding, PPA Pool/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA —  Over one million patients have benefited from the government’s Zero Balance Billing policy, Malacañang said on Wednesday, a week after the Marcos Jr. administration  defended its decision to reallocate P60-billion of excess Philippine Health Insurance Corp (PhilHealth) funds to the national treasury.</p><p>Zero Balance Billing beneficiaries are pegged at 1.78 million patients in just 4 months, Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro told Palace reporters.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/5/supreme-court-orders-government-to-restore-p60-b-philhealth-fund-1435">READ: SC orders gov&#x27;t to restore P60-B PhilHealth fund, bars further transfers</a></div><p>“Ayon sa pamunuan ng DOH (Department of Health), patuloy ang full implementation ng zero balance billing sa mga DOH hospitals upang tiyakin ang lubos ang alagang maibibigay ng programa sa sambayanang Pilipino,” she said.</p><p>“Makakaasa ang mga kababayan natin na mananatiling abot-kamay ang maayos na kalidad na serbisyo ng pampublikong hospital at libre ang pagpapagamot para sa mga lubos na nangangailangan na mga kababayan natin,” she said.</p><p>The Palace also underscored that the P60-billion fund from PhilHealth were used to fund the Health Emergency Allowance (HEA) of millions of health workers.</p><p>“Ayon sa report ng Department of Health noong Martes, umaabot halos sa 6 million na health care workers ang nakinabang sa nasabing programa ng Philhealth,” Castro said.</p><p>“Ang HEA ay ibinibigay sa mga healthcare workers na nagsilbi at nagsakripisyo para sa publiko noong kasagsagan ng COVID 19 pandemic na hindi nabayaran noon,” she said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2025/12/3/majority-of-filipino-families-struggle-to-pay-hospital-bills-study-1931">READ: Majority of Filipino families struggle to pay hospital bills — study</a></div><p>“Nagamit din ang pondo para sa iba pang programa katulad ng medical assistance to Indigent and financially incapacitated patience at ang pagbili ng ibat’ ibang medical equipment para sa DOH hospitals, LGU hospitals at Primary Care hospitals or facilities,” she added.</p><p>The update comes a week after the Supreme Court ordered the executive to return the P60-billion fund to PhilHealth.</p>

<p>Over 1 million patients have benefited from the government’s Zero Balance Billing policy, Malacañang said on Wednesday, a week after the Marcos Jr. administration defended its decision to reallocate P60-billion of excess Philippine Health Insurance Corp (PhilHealth) funds to the national treasury.</p>

Over 1 million patients have benefited from the government’s Zero Balance Billing policy, Malacañang said on Wednesday, a week after the Marcos Jr. administration defended its decision to reallocate P60-billion of excess Philippine Health Insurance Corp (PhilHealth) funds to the national treasury.

DOH’s Zero Balance Billing program benefits 1.78M patients in 4 months: Palace

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DOH’s Zero Balance Billing program benefits 1.78M patients in 4 months: Palace

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 10, 2025 06:05 PM PHT

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