President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday rolled out a package of healthcare, food security and education initiatives in the province of Camiguin, underscoring the government’s push to improve essential government services alongside investments aimed at sustaining the island province’s economic growth.

After leading the inauguration of the Benoni Port Light Craft Landing Station in Mahinog town, Marcos inspected the Camiguin General Hospital to ensure that residents have access to affordable and quality healthcare.

The President visited the hospital’s emergency room and internal medicine ward and inspected the implementation of the government’s Zero Balance Billing (ZBB) program, which allows qualified patients admitted to basic or ward accommodations in government hospitals to leave without paying hospital bills.

The move is part of the government’s broader effort to improve healthcare delivery, particularly in underserved areas, by expanding access to medical services while reducing patients’ out-of-pocket expenses.

From July 2025 to May 2026, the government spent PHP67 billion to finance the treatment of 2.76 million patients under the ZBB program, according to Malacañang.

Beginning this month, the program has also been expanded to local hospitals in Sarangani, Laguna, Aklan, Bataan, Batangas and Quezon.

The administration has likewise continued implementing other health initiatives, including the Medical Assistance to Indigents and Financially Incapacitated Patients Program (MAIFIP), which assisted 1.3 million patients from January to May this year.

The Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) has also enrolled 26.1 million Filipinos through 4,374 healthcare providers nationwide, while 63 Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Service (BUCAS) Centers have served 2.07 million patients since March 2024.

The Camiguin General Hospital, a Level 1 Department of Health facility, has a 105-bed capacity and 593 health personnel.

Rice, scholarship aid

Marcos also led the distribution of the second tranche of rice assistance under the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF), benefiting 5,096 vulnerable residents who each received 10 kilograms of rice.

The President said the program aims to strengthen food security while providing support to local government units through the LGSF.

He likewise met with 100 beneficiaries of the Presidential Scholars Program from Camiguin’s five municipalities.

Each scholar received PHP20,000 under the program’s “finisher fund,” which seeks to help students nearing graduation overcome financial difficulties and complete their college education.

Marcos encouraged the scholars to persevere in their studies and maximize the educational assistance provided by the government.

Another 190 students from Camiguin are expected to receive the same assistance.

As of July 11, the LGSF has reached 1,266 local government units nationwide, while 23,431 barangays have benefited from socio-civic projects under the administration’s “Bawat Barangay Makikinabang” initiative. (PNA)