Manila, Sept. 6 -- The Zero-Balance Billing (ZBB) program for the poor has already benefited some 298,221 patients, the Department of Health (DOH) said Saturday.

The DOH said it translates to PHP26.4 billion in combined billing of patients admitted for basic accommodation in DOH hospitals.

"This is a milestone and umiikot kami ni President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., nakikita nya 'yung mga pasyenteng tuwang tuwa na pina-uuwi at nakaka-uwing walang binabayaran (This is a milestone. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and I are going around hospitals and he sees the patients who are happy to be sent home without paying for anything)," DOH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said in a radio interview.

"Sabi nga ng Pangulo, palapit nang palapit na tayo s...