THE Department of Health (DOH) – Ilocos Region successfully hosted the National Assembly for the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) 2026 on October 28, 2026 in San Juan, La Union, moving closer to the vision of a Bagong Pilipinas where health services are both accessible and financially equitable.
The high-level national gathering convened DOH Regional Directors and MAIFIP Coordinators from across the country to harmonize program guidelines, streamline fund utilization, and accelerate the delivery of medical subsidies to millions of vulnerable Filipinos.
Undersecretary of Health Zhielah Ritz C. Gatchalian graced the assembly as the guest of honor, underscoring the central office’s aggressive push to expand healthcare safety nets. Her presence highlighted the department’s firm commitment to ensuring that no Filipino is denied life-saving medical care due to poverty.
The assembly aims to build a simple, more cohesive, efficient, and empathetic MAIFIP program to provide marginalized patients access to professional medical treatment and essential medicines.
It also served as a strategic collaborative hub where regional representatives actively participated in workshop sessions including evaluating program implementation, sharing best practices and optimizing delivery subsidies.
The national assembly reaffirms the DOH’s unified stand to reinforce its safety nets, foster tighter regional collaboration, and deliver on the promise of the Universal Health Care (UHC) law.
The Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) is a flagship program of the Department of Health that provides financial augmentation to eligible patients for medical services, including drugs, medicines, laboratory tests, and hospitalization expenses in government and partner private health facilities.
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