Manila: The Department of Health (DOH) announced on Saturday that four government-run specialty hospitals are set to receive an additional PHP1 billion under the 2026 budget. The hospitals benefiting from this allocation include the Lung Center of the Philippines, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Philippine Children's Medical Center, and Philippine Heart Center.

According to Philippines News Agency, this budget increase is part of an initiative to expand Zero Balance Billing (ZBB) services, a program introduced by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. Health Secretary Ted Herbosa conveyed his gratitude to President Marcos through a social media post, highlighting that the allocation is a significant step towards enhancing the Universal Health Care system.

These hospitals, as government-owned and controlled corporations, generally maintain a 70 percent private bed capacity while dedicating 30 percent to public services. The additional funding is expected to bolster public services, including the ZBB program, thereby enabling a greater number of patients to access complex medical procedures without incurring out-of-pocket expenses.

The ZBB initiative was initially implemented in DOH hospitals following the 2025 State of the Nation Address. By the end of that year, the program had already benefited over one million patients, significantly easing the financial burden of healthcare for many citizens.