President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. delivered a significant boost to healthcare in Cebu during a visit on Thursday, January 15, 2026, personally overseeing the rollout of new funding and critical medical equipment.
Major Funding and Equipment for Cebu Hospitals
The Cebu Provincial Hospital (CPH) in Balamban was the focal point of the visit, receiving a substantial financial injection of P5 million from the Office of the President. Hospital officials confirmed that this grant is specifically allocated for crucial facility upgrades.
In a separate but concurrent donation, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) provided the Balamban facility with 20 wheelchairs and medicines worth P60,000.
The support extended beyond Balamban. Several other provincial medical centers benefited from a major equipment rollout, each receiving new X-ray and ultrasound machines. The facilities that received this vital diagnostic equipment include:
- CPH in Bogo City
- CPH in Danao City
- Daanbantayan District Hospital
- Juan B. Dosado Memorial Hospital in Sogod
This new machinery is expected to drastically improve early diagnosis capabilities locally, reducing the need for patient referrals to larger hospitals in Cebu City.
Strengthening National Health Programs
During his tour of the Balamban hospital, President Marcos observed the implementation of the "zero balance billing" policy under the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth). This program allows qualified patients to be discharged without any out-of-pocket expenses.
The national government has strongly backed this initiative, allocating a substantial P17.39 billion for zero balance billing in the 2026 national budget. Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa had earlier announced that an additional P1 billion is earmarked to expand the program to select secondary and tertiary hospitals run by local governments.
Launch of New Medicine Access Program
As a key part of his Cebu visit, President Marcos launched the Guaranteed and Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment (Gamot) program in the province. This new initiative is designed to further expand access to essential medicines for Cebuanos, complementing the infrastructure and policy upgrades.
The combined efforts—from direct hospital funding and equipment to nationwide policy support—signal a focused push to improve healthcare accessibility, particularly for patients in remote and underserved communities across Cebu.
