PH now with 'zero doctorless municipalities'—Marcos
President Marcos said the Philippines has achieved a “zero doctorless municipalities” milestone, marking a major step in improving access to healthcare nationwide.
“Through the sustained implementation of this program, we have reached a historic milestone of Zero Doctorless Municipalities nationwide in 2025,” Marcos said during the send-off ceremony for Doctors to the Barrios (DTTB) Batch 43 on Wednesday, March 25.
According to the President, the latest batch of doctors marks the biggest deployment in the program’s history. Batch 43 is composed of 290 physicians who will be assigned to underserved and remote communities across the country.
Gaps remain in healthcare access
Despite the milestone, Marcos acknowledged that access to healthcare remains a challenge, particularly in rural and geographically isolated areas.
“Maraming komunidad pa rin ang umaasa sa iisang doktor (Many communities still rely on a single doctor),” he said.
He noted that some Filipinos still have to travel long distances and spend heavily just to consult a physician.
Deployment to underserved areas
Marcos said he has directed the Department of Health (DOH) to ensure that doctors are deployed to all municipalities, especially those with limited access to medical services.
“Sinabi ko sa DOH na tiyakin na makakapagpadala tayo ng mga doktor sa lahat ng munisipalidad (I told the DOH to ensure that we can send doctors to all municipalities),” he said.
He also ordered the strengthening of regular visits by health professionals to rural health units.
Beyond deployment
The President emphasized that simply assigning doctors is not enough to sustain healthcare services.
“Hindi sapat na may doktor lamang sa isang lugar (It is not enough that there is just a doctor in a place),” he said.
He stressed the need to ensure continuous and accessible healthcare services for communities.
Support for health workers
Marcos said the government will continue to strengthen the National Health Workforce Support System to assist healthcare workers.
“We will invest in your training, in your safety, and your well-being,” he said.
The President also encouraged the doctors to serve with compassion and dedication as they begin their assignments in different parts of the country.
The Doctors to the Barrios program, established in 1993, has deployed nearly 3,000 physicians nationwide to improve healthcare access in underserved communities.