Senator Risa Hontiveros on Thursday expressed full support for the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), Department of Health (DOH), and Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) in their joint efforts to simplify healthcare services and strengthen the Zero Balance Billing policy.
Speaking at the 2025 Health Forum in Marco Polo Ortigas, Hontiveros commended the agencies for advancing patient rights and ensuring accessible healthcare for all Filipinos.
“I thank the ARTA — and of course, DOH and PhilHealth — for leading this important discussion on an effective and pro-people implementation of the Zero Balance Billing policy, and other components of a healthcare system that is truly for all,” she said.
As chair of the Senate Committee on Health and co-author of the Universal Health Care Act, Hontiveros emphasized the need for inter-agency cooperation to remove out-of-pocket expenses and improve service delivery.
“Bureaucratic roadblocks and bottlenecks must be identified and addressed. Repetitive or unnecessary requirements must be removed. Long waiting lines must be shortened,” she added.
The 2025 Health Forum, themed “Zero Balance Full Care: Advancing Patient Rights through Streamlined Health Services,” brought together officials from ARTA, DOH, and PhilHealth to strengthen compliance with the Universal Health Care Act and promote a more transparent, patient-centered healthcare system.