“Good health is the foundation of sustainable development. By investing in our people’s health today, we are upholding our commitment to universal healthcare and ensuring intergenerational fairness for all Filipinos.
On Monday, Senator Pia S. Cayetano, Senior Vice Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, sponsored the proposed 2026 budgets of the Department of Health and its attached agencies and corporations, including the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation.
Among her key funding recommendations were the expansion of the Zero-Balance Billing (ZBB) Progam in DOH and regional hospitals, support for its pilot implementation in select LGU hospitals, and the direct allocation of the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) to government hospitals. She also called for continued support for the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) and other specialty hospitals.
As Chairperson of the Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, Innovation, and Futures Thinking, Sen. Cayetano reviewed the health budget through the lens of SDG 3 (Good Health & Wellbeing), ensuring that investments advance universal healthcare, preventive care, healthy lifestyles, and equitable access to services.
Building on these priorities, she reiterated that sin tax revenues must be fully allocated to health as mandated by law, emphasizing that these funds are essential for strengthening healthcare and expanding access to services for all Filipinos.
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