TACLOBAN CITY – A maintenance worker from Alangalang, Leyte, benefited from the government’s zero-balance billing program at the Eastern Visayas Medical Center (EVMC) here.

Rico Ligo was stabbed three weeks ago, had surgeries and a series of procedures, leaving her daughter Rica and her two younger siblings worried about expenses.

Seventeen-year-old Rica, the eldest daughter of Rico, returned home from Malabon City to take care of her father.

Rica availed of the program which turned their P400,000 medical bill to zero.

“Sobrang saya namin kasi magkano lang naman ‘yung sahod ni Papa sa trabaho tapos sobrang laki ng babayaran niya,” she said during President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s visit to the EVMC on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025.

(We are very happy about zero billing because our father only earns enough and we have a very large bill)

The EVMC was the first hospital implementing the Department of Heath’s “Bayad na Bill Mo” or zero balance billing program that Marcos visited following his State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA).

Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said that the President's order allows patients and their families to access help with hospital bills without going elsewhere for assistance as the funding is still provided by the government.

Before, only indigent patients were covered by the zero-balance billing in DOH hospitals.

Herbosa added that the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) of 83 DOH hospitals have increased by 15 percent in 2026, confirming the sufficiency of funds.

EVMC Medical Center chief Dr. Joseph Michael Jaro assured that there is no politics in the program implementation for all patient admitted to basic accommodations.

The President ordered Herbosa to ensure that all implementing hospitals know the process for the benefit of patients.

“Pagagandahin pa natin. This is one good thing pero marami pang dapat gawin for the healthcare system,” the President said.

(We will improve it. This is one good thing but many are needed to be done for the healthcare system)

The EVMC is a Level 3 tertiary hospital with a bed capacity of 1,100.

The largest DOH-run hospital in the region provides critical health services not only to patients from Tacloban City and Leyte, but also from Samar, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Southern Leyte, Biliran, and provinces of neighboring regions.

With 17 specialty centers, EVMC serves as a key referral facility for complex and high-risk cases across the region.

The zero-balance billing is being implemented in 87 Department of Health hospitals nationwide.

Patients must be admitted to the basic accommodation or ward to enable the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to completely foot the bill.