President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday visited the Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center (ITRMC) in San Fernando City, La Union to check the implementation of the government’s zero balance billing policy.
The President toured the hospital after overseeing the distribution of cash aid to typhoon-hit families and fuel subsidies to farmers earlier in the day. He interacted with hospital staff and patients during visits to several departments, including the Orthopedic Department, Trauma Center, and Oncology Ward, where he observed the zero balance billing process in action.
ITRMC is a tertiary hospital with a 520-bed capacity, which has been consistently filled this year, and employs 828 personnel.
The zero balance billing policy, implemented in Department of Health (DOH) hospitals, ensures that patients admitted to wards or basic accommodations are not charged out-of-pocket expenses for treatment.
The program was formally launched following President Marcos’ announcement in his fourth State of the Nation Address on July 28 and has already benefited thousands of Filipinos nationwide.
In his most recent podcast, the President reaffirmed the program’s sustainability, emphasizing that public funds must be used to deliver essential services such as healthcare.
