Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday announced the government's long-term goal of providing fully subsidized healthcare for all Filipinos, aiming to eliminate patient out-of-pocket expenses for hospital care. The statement was made during the turnover of medical transport vehicles at the Quirino Grandstand.

According to Philippines News Agency, Marcos emphasized the administration's focus on expanding emergency response equipment and broadening access to the national healthcare system. He stressed efforts to modernize public hospitals, establish specialty centers, and expand Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Service (BUCAS) centers for non-emergency cases that do not require confinement.

The President highlighted the importance of reducing the financial burden on patients, with the ultimate goal of eliminating all out-of-pocket healthcare expenses. Marcos mentioned that the government is actively working to lower patient payments and gradually reduce their contributions when seeking medical care.

Marcos expressed optimism that once the economy stabilizes, the government could potentially cover the full cost of hospital care, leaving only minimal administrative fees, similar to universal healthcare systems in other countries. He acknowledged that the current system and budget are insufficient for a no-payment model but assured the public of the government's commitment to realign priorities to achieve this vision.

The initiative is part of the Marcos administration's larger effort to improve public health access, particularly for impoverished and underserved communities. During the ceremony, 387 patient transport vehicles were turned over to local government units in Luzon, marking the largest single-day distribution of such vehicles by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. An additional 123 units will be delivered to Visayas LGUs and 105 units to Mindanao within the week.