President Marcos is confident that universal health care in the country will be fully implemented soon.

"Malapit na tayong umabot talaga sa universal health care. We are 80 percent of the way. Kaunti na lang at matutupad na natin yung universal health care (We are very close to truly achieving universal health care. We are already 80% of the way. Just a little more, and we will have fulfilled Universal Healthcare)," Marcos said during his visit at the Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center on Tuesday, Sept. 2.

"My aspiration, of course, is to achieve the dream of universal healthcare for all our people. It’s just a question of building up the economy so we can afford it, number one, and putting in the system. The systems are all in place," Marcos added.

"We will get there," he further said.

Marcos made the statement after commending Bataan General Hospital's implementation of zero-balance billing, which he said could be replicated by other hospitals in the country.

"Meron silang bagong feature dito sa Bataan General. Zero billing pa rin, pero imbes na pipila sa kahera ang pasyente bago ma-discharge, pag malapit nang ma-discharge yung pasyente, ay hinahatid sa kanila yung kanilang zero billing (They have a new feature here at Bataan General. It’s still zero billing, but instead of the patient lining up at the cashier before being discharged, when the patient is about to be discharged, their zero billing is brought to them),” Marcos said.

"Another added convenience which I think we should adopt all around the country," he added.

The President also conveyed his elation over the progress of the zero-balance billing policy, which he declared during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA).

"I’m very happy that we are able to do this at talagang napakalaking bagay na makita mo naman na people have come kaya ang dami nang pumupunta sa ospital ngayon (and it's a big thing to see that people have come that's why a lot of people are now going to the hospitals)," he said.

Marcos underscored that people who used to hesitate going to the hospitals to get consultation and treatment due to the burden of shouldering hospital bills are now availing of medical services.

"Kaya’t wala nang problema ngayon yun (But that’s no longer a problem now). And that’s why I’m very happy that we are instituting this program. I think it’s been a long time coming and I’m glad," Marcos said.

He also cited the role of Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Service (BUCAS) centers, where patients can avail of screening, laboratory tests, maternal and child services, and ambulatory surgical service, saying this is the system they are trying to establish.

"So yun ang ating binubuo na sistema for the healthcare dito sa Pilipinas. And ipagpatuloy natin ito (So, that's the healthcare system we are trying to establish here in the Philippines. And we will continue this)," the chief executive said.