Koronadal City, South Cotabato | January 8, 2026– Long before zero-balance billing became a nationwide health objective, the Province of South Cotabato had already taken proactive steps to remove financial barriers to hospital care through the implementation of a cashier-less hospitalization system.
To ensure the full, sustainable, and province-wide implementation of free hospitalization, Governor Reynaldo S. Tamayo, Jr., together with the members of the 15th Sangguniang Panlalawigan, exerted concerted efforts in drafting an ordinance to institutionalize zero-billing or free hospitalization in all government hospitals in the province.
According to Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Health, Nutrition, and Sanitation Chairperson Board Member Dr. Ervin B. Luntao, the ordinance is set to take effect early next year.
“For this first quarter of 2026, ang aton ordinansa nga ginalibre ang gastos sa tanan nga gobyerno nga hospital diri sa probinsya sang South Cotabato matuman gid,” Dr. Luntao said.
He emphasized that the program would provide significant relief to ordinary citizens, particularly those who often incur debt just to pay for hospital expenses.
“Magkadto ka sa balay-bululngan nga wala ginakulbaan nga basi magtarabog ang imo mga karabaw, imo baka, ukon i-collateral mo pa ang imo duta, tungod nabal-an nila nga libre ang hospitalization sa probinsya sang South Cotabato,” he added.
Dr. Luntao further underscored that the free hospitalization program is envisioned as a legacy of Governor Tamayo’s administration.
“This will be the legacy sang aton pinalangga nga Gobernador Reynaldo S. Tamayo, Jr. Nga bisan pa after sang 2028, kung wala na siya sa iya opisina bilang gobernador, indi na ini ma-alter ukon madula ang patakaran nga libre ang hospitalization nga gin-umpisahan niya—bisan sino pa ang magbulos sa iya,” he said.
On July 1, 2019, on his first day in office, Governor Reynaldo S. Tamayo Jr. immediately implemented the zero-balance billing or free hospitalization program in all provincial government hospitals in South Cotabato.
With the launch of the initiative, patients were no longer required to pay admission and treatment fees at the South Cotabato Provincial Hospital, as well as in other local government–run hospitals in Norala, Surallah, Tupi, and Polomolok, effectively easing the financial burden on thousands of patients across the province.
From 2022 to 2023, South Cotabato’s free hospitalization program continued to demonstrate its strong impact, assisting thousands of patients and delivering millions of pesos worth of medical services through zero-balance billing and related health support mechanisms.
The sustained utilization of the program underscored its importance in improving access to healthcare and reducing out-of-pocket expenses for residents across the province.
The institutionalization of zero-billing hospitalization marks a major milestone in South Cotabato’s health reform efforts, reinforcing the provincial government’s commitment to accessible, equitable, and people-centered healthcare services.
