Philippines Offers Free Medical Services In Honour Of President Marcos' Birthday

Free medical services will be available on Saturday (September 13), in Department of Health (DOH) hospitals in the Philippines to mark President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s 68th birthday.

Outpatient departments, normally closed on Saturdays, will open for one day only, offering consultations, lab tests, and minor procedures that do not require overnight hospitalisation.

DOH Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo told ABS-CBN News that the government's zero balance billing programme, which allows patients to be discharged without paying hospital fees, remains sustainable.

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President Marcos Jr. earlier encouraged the programme's expansion, noting its success during his visit to East Avenue Medical Center last month, where nearly 18,000 patients were treated without balance bills.

“The funds for zero billing come from the hospitals' maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE). Since the hospital covers these costs, patients no longer have to pay extra,” Domingo explained.

To further support the program, the DOH is proposing a 15 per cent increase in hospital MOOE in the 2026 national budget.

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