President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. announced on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, the expansion of maternity benefits under PhilHealth. In a video message, Marcos said the implementation of the expanded benefits for childbirth will start today, April 30, 2026.
The President revealed that for normal delivery, the coverage will increase to PHP 29,000 from the previous PHP 9,750. For cesarean delivery, PhilHealth coverage will rise to PHP 58,000 to PHP 62,000 from the previous PHP 37,000.
According to Marcos, the coverage for prenatal care has also been expanded from four check-ups to eight, including vaccinations and laboratory examinations. He added that the coverage includes three post-delivery check-ups.
"In many cases, if you give birth in a ward even in a private hospital, you may have nothing to pay upon discharge," Marcos said. "We want to ensure that every mother can give birth safely and not worry about where to get the payment. We want no life to be put at risk simply due to lack of money," he added.
The expanded benefits aim to reduce out-of-pocket expenses for Filipino mothers and improve maternal health outcomes across the country.
