MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) is expanding the electronic processing of medical assistance to local government unit (LGU) hospitals after more than 32,000 patients were served in about a month under the digital system, Acting Health Secretary Edwin Mercado said Friday.
During the Senate Committee on Finance hearing on the DOH’s proposed 2027 budget, Mercado said the electronic Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (eMAIFIP) system was initially rolled out in DOH hospitals and is now being extended to LGU-run facilities.
“Mula po noong August, mag-iisang buwan pa lang po, 32,000 na po ang dito natin na-process sa eMAIFIP (Since August, in less than a month, we have already processed 32,000 patients through eMAIFIP),” Mercado said.
“Ngayon po ay isasama na po natin yung mga local government unit hospitals. Mas mabilis na po yung ating processing (We will now include local government unit hospitals. Our processing is now faster),” he added.
The move is part of the DOH’s broader effort to make medical assistance more accessible while reducing processing delays for patients seeking financial help for hospitalization and treatment.
The agency reported that about 4.3 million patients received assistance under MAIFIP in 2025, before the electronic system began its phased rollout.
For 2027, the DOH proposed PHP24.2 billion for MAIFIP, which is expected to benefit about 1.6 million indigent and financially incapacitated patients.
The program forms part of the PHP207.3-billion allocation under the department’s “Quality and Efficient Hospitals” pillar, the largest among five priority areas under its Unified National Agenda for Health.
The same pillar also includes PHP102.9 billion for the operations of regional hospitals and other health facilities, PHP26.9 billion for DOH hospitals in Metro Manila, PHP19 billion for PhilHealth benefit package improvements, and PHP3.8 billion for the Cancer Assistance Fund.
Mercado said improving hospital systems is intended to shorten queues, improve referrals and make care more efficient, particularly when public hospitals face shortages in beds and other resources. (PNA)
