Malacañang has defended the increase in the budget of the Medical Assistance For Indigents and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP), saying that it intends to expand the coverage of zero-balance billing policy to non-Department of Health (DOH) hospitals.

Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said the move would also provide zero-balance billing to hospitals run by local government units (LGUs).

Castro stressed that it will not be coursed through politicians, allaying fears that the budget, which increased to P51 billion at the bicameral conference committee, would end up as a form of pork and patronage programs.

"Ang plano po kasi dito ng DOH ay maiangat at maitaas po ang budget ng MAIFIPP dahil po ito ay para mas matugunan po iyong zero balance billing sa LGUs (The plan of the DOH here is to increase and raise the budget of MAIFIPP because this is intended to better address zero-balance billing in the LGUs)," Castro said in a Palace briefing on Monday, Dec. 15.

"May mga ospital po dito na hindi po kaugnay ng DOH hospitals at nais pong palawakin pa ang serbisyo sa ating mga mamamayan sa pamamagitan po ng pagbibigay din po ng zero balance billing sa LGU hospitals. Hindi po ito idadaan sa mga politiko; ito po ay manggagaling din po sa DOH (There are hospitals here that are not affiliated with DOH hospitals, and the aim is to further expand services to our citizens by also providing zero-balance billing in LGU hospitals. This will not be coursed through politicians; it will come directly from the DOH," Castro added.

Castro did not directly respond when asked whether it was safe to say that President Marcos will not veto the budget hike, but further stressed that the budget will go straight to LGU hospitals.

"Hindi po kasi dadaan sa mga politiko ang pondo na ito. Didiretso po ito sa local government units, sa LGU hospitals, at ang magpapatupad din po nito ay DOH (This funding will not go through politicians. It will go directly to the local government units, to LGU hospitals, and it will also be implemented by the DOH),” Castro said.

MAIFIP provides financial assistance for medical expenses to eligible applicants inclusive of indigent patients and financially incapable individuals.