Pampanga Gov. Lilia “Nanay” Pineda and Vice Gov. Dennis “Delta” Pineda join Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Dr. Edwin M. Merdaco, PhilHealth President and CEO Dr. Beverly Lorraine C. Ho, DOH Central Luzon Regional Director Dr. Corazon I. Flores, and PhilHealth Region III Acting Vice President Atty. Ma. Emily P. Roque during the signing of a memorandum of agreement on the No Balance Billing program involving 17 private hospitals in Pampanga on October 23, 2026. The initiative aims to expand access to hospital care and reduce out-of-pocket expenses for eligible patients. (Monifer Bansil – PhilHealth Region 3)
PAMPANGA — Seventeen private hospitals in Pampanga have agreed to provide designated ward accommodation under the government’s No Balance Billing (NBB) program, expanding access to hospital care without additional charges for eligible PhilHealth members and their dependents.
The hospitals signed a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) on October 23, marking the first such agreement involving 17 private hospitals in Central Luzon, according to the provincial government.
Under the program, eligible patients admitted to basic or ward accommodation in government hospitals are covered by the no-balance-billing policy, while participating private hospitals will allocate 10% of their basic or ward accommodation for the initiative.
The agreement forms part of the DOH-PhilHealth Unified National Agenda for Health (UNA), which seeks to expand access to health services and reduce the financial burden of medical care on Filipino families.
Pampanga Gov. Lilia “Nanay” Pineda and Vice Gov. Dennis “Delta” Pineda joined DOH and PhilHealth officials at the signing.
Among those present were DOH Secretary Dr. Edwin M. Merdaco, PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Beverly Lorraine C. Ho, DOH Central Luzon Regional Director Dr. Corazon I. Flores and PhilHealth Region III Acting Vice President Atty. Ma. Emily P. Roque.
The participating hospitals are Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Medical Center in San Fernando and Clark; Greencity Medical Center and Mother Teresa of Calcutta Medical Center in San Fernando; Holy Trinity Medical Center in Arayat; Pampanga Premier Medical Center, Apalit Doctors Hospital, ASCCOM Medical Center and E.D. Lim Medical Center in Apalit; Leonardo B. Manabat Sr. in Sto. Tomas; Our Lady of Rosary Hospital in Macabebe; San Fernandino Hospital in San Fernando; HTC Specialty Clinic and Diagnostic Laboratory in Sta. Ana; Rosario Medical Center of Guagua; Dr. Armando Garcia Medical Center and AC Sacred Heart Medical Center in Angeles City; and St. Paul II Medical Center in Magalang.
The participation of private hospitals is expected to widen access to covered health services, particularly for patients who need hospital care but face financial constraints.
The program aims to strengthen financial protection for PhilHealth members and their dependents, subject to eligibility requirements, covered benefits and the accommodation provisions of participating hospitals.