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.

According to Philippines News Agency, during the Senate Committee on Finance hearing on the DOH's proposed 2027 budget, Mercado stated that 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. Since August, in less than a month, 32,000 patients have already been processed through eMAIFIP. Mercado emphasized that the inclusion of LGU hospitals will speed up the processing of medical assistance.

The initiative is part of the DOH's broader effort to enhance access to medical assistance and reduce processing delays for patients seeking financial aid for hospitalization and treatment. The agency reported that approximately 4.3 million patients received assistance under MAIFIP in 2025, before the electronic system's phased rollout began.

For 2027, the DOH has proposed PHP24.2 billion for MAIFIP, which aims to benefit around 1.6 million indigent and financially incapacitated patients. The program is a component 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 pillar also includes allocations for the operations of regional hospitals and other health facilities (PHP102.9 billion), DOH hospitals in Metro Manila (PHP26.9 billion), improvements to the PhilHealth benefit package (PHP19 billion), and the Cancer Assistance Fund (PHP3.8 billion).

Mercado noted that improving hospital systems is intended to shorten queues, improve referrals, and enhance care efficiency, particularly in public hospitals facing shortages in beds and other resources.