THE Department of Health (DOH) on Friday, September 12, 2025, sought to defend its decision to disqualify road crash victims from the zero-balance billing program if they are found to have violated road safety policies and laws.
In a social media post, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said the decision is anchored on the legal concept of “contributory negligence.”
“Violation of the law has its consequences. Otherwise, funds for the healthcare of those who really need it will be used up by these road safety violators,” Herbosa said.
“Your risky behavior cannot be at the expense of the hardworking taxpayers,” he added.
The health chief said the DOH would rather allocate funds for those adhering to road safety measures but still needed to be hospitalized.
Herbosa said this means individuals involved in road crashes despite wearing helmets and using seatbelts, among other precautions.
“We will prioritize zero-balance billing for law-abiding motorists who do not cause death and disability on the road,” Herbosa said.
“Drive safely. Wear your helmet. Wear your seatbelt. Follow the speed limits. Don’t drink and drive. Don’t text and drive,” he added.
On Thursday, Herbosa announced that road crash victims would be disqualified from the zero-balance billing program if they were found not wearing helmets, not using seatbelts, or driving while intoxicated.
The policy was criticized by netizens, who said road crash victims should not be punished further for their poor judgment. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)
