Speech by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at the MOA Signing Ceremony Between St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC)-Global City and PhilHealth

Thank you very much to our Health Secretary, Secretary Edwin Mercado; DSWD Secretary, Secretary Rex Gatchalian, PhilHealth President and CEO Beverly Lorraine Ho; St. Luke’s Medical Center President and CEO Dr. Dennis Serrano; SLMC Vice Chairman, Attorney Cirilo Noel; Health Equity Research Foundation President and CEO Dr. Arturo De La Peña; St. Luke’s Foundation President and CEO Dr. Benjo Campomanes; fellow workers in government; ladies and gentlemen, good morning.

This is a very simple ceremony, belies the importance of what we mark today, because we mark a partnership that strengthens our shared commitment to ensuring that Filipino patients have easier access to quality and affordable health care services and benefits that they all deserve.

Getting sick is difficult enough. But for many families, the bigger worry is how to afford the treatment that they need.

Walang pinipiling tao ang sakit. Anyone can suddenly face a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment or specialized care.

Choosing a private hospital like St. Luke’s does not necessarily mean that the patient or family can readily afford the cost of treatment.

More often than not, patients turn to these institutions because they offer specialized expertise, advanced equipment, and complex treatments that their medical conditions require.

This Administration remains committed to making quality healthcare more accessible and affordable to more Filipinos.

PhilHealth is a key part of that commitment.

PhilHealth has been instrumental in protecting families from the financial burdens that comes with illness and with treatment.

But we, in government, cannot do this alone.

And that is why we welcome the private sector’s participation in helping us deliver better health outcomes and provide much-needed relief to our patients and their families.

Today’s signing of the Memorandum of Agreement is an example of that cooperation.

The MOA between PhilHealth and St. Luke’s Medical Center-Global City reflects a shared commitment to strengthen the implementation of the No Co-payment Policy and to support the government’s Universal Health Care agenda.

By joining this effort, St. Luke’s also sends an important message: that quality care in leading private hospitals can be made more accessible to qualified PhilHealth members, and that both government and the private sector have a role in making Universal Health Care work.

For a patient, this can mean less time worrying about whether treatment is within reach, more time focusing on getting better.

For a family, it can mean relief from the fear that one medical emergency can consume their savings or force them to choose between treatment and other basic needs.

And for our healthcare system, it means bringing together the strengths of the public and private sectors to better serve more Filipinos.

Beyond this partnership, we are also strengthening other government programs that help reduce the financial burden of medical care.

Pinabababa natin ang sariling gastos ng pasyente sa pamamagitan ng Zero Balance Billing program o ZBB sa mga DOH hospital.

Mayroon ding Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients na ginawa pa nating electronic ang MAIFIP gaya ng nasabi ko noong nakaraang SONA.

Madali nang makakuha ng tulong sa mga DOH hospital dahil mas kaunti na ang mga kinakailangang dokumento at maaari na itong gawin online.

Pinapalawak din natin ang PhilHealth YAKAP upang mailapit sa bawat Pilipino ang libreng konsultasyon, laboratory tests, at cancer screening.

Saklaw din nito ang mga kinakailangang gamot sa ilalim ng Guaranteed and Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment o iyong GAMOT program.

Kasabay nito, patuloy tayong nagtatayo ng mga BUCAS Center upang mailapit sa mga komunidad ang urgent care, ang outpatient services, at iba pang mga serbisyong medikal nang hindi kailangang bumiyahe sa malalayong ospital pa.

Malinaw ang ating hangarin. Hindi dapat maging hadlang ang kakulangan sa pera para makakuha ang kinakailangang atensiyong medikal.

It is a simple yet universal belief that we must all uphold.

So, as we improve how we finance healthcare, we must make sure that our reforms remain compassionate and people-oriented.

To PhilHealth and St. Luke’s, thank you for coming together in the service of our people.

Continue to ensure that our health care system becomes more responsive and affordable for Filipino families, especially those who are most in need.

Continue removing the financial, geographic, and institutional barriers that keep patients from getting the assistance that they need.

We encourage more hospitals across the country to support PhilHealth in advancing Universal Health Care by embracing the No Co-Payment Policy. Together, let us ensure that no Filipino is denied the care that they need only because of financial hardship.

Tandaan: ang sistema dapat ang tumutulong sa pasyente. Hindi dapat sila mahirapang sumunod sa mga prosesong lalo lamang nagpapabigat sa kanilang buhay.

Thank you all very much.

Congratulations for this very, very important day and we look to the future for this continuing cooperation between St. Luke’s, PhilHealth, between the private sector and the public sector in health care.

Mabuhay kayo at mabuhay ang Bagong Pilipinas! [applause]

—END—