Philippines boosts maternity benefits: How families stand to gain

Dubai: The Philippines has introduced a major increase in maternity benefits, a move aimed at making childbirth safer and more affordable for millions of families.

Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has announced that the government is expanding support under the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), the country’s state health insurance provider, so that mothers no longer have to worry about the cost of giving birth.

The enhanced benefits have taken effect on April 30 and form part of wider efforts to improve access to healthcare across the country.

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What has changed

Under the new package, PhilHealth, which helps pay hospital bills for members, will now cover a larger share of childbirth costs.

For normal hospital deliveries, coverage has increased from ₱9,750 to ₱29,000, nearly three times the previous amount. For cesarean section births, benefits have risen from ₱37,000 to between ₱58,000 and ₱62,000.

Marcos has noted that for mothers staying in standard ward accommodations, these amounts could be enough to cover the cost of delivery, even in some private hospitals.

The changes have been designed to address a long-standing issue in the Philippines, where many women avoid hospital births or skilled medical care due to high costs.

“Many mothers give birth without a doctor, not because they do not want proper care, but because they cannot afford the cost. This is what we want to change,” said Marcos.

More support during pregnancy and recovery

In addition, the expanded benefits cover more care before and after childbirth. Prenatal check-ups have been increased from four to eight and now include vaccines and laboratory tests.

After delivery, mothers have been entitled to three follow-up consultations to monitor recovery and the health of their newborns.

The initiative is part of the Philippines’ push to strengthen universal healthcare under the Universal Health Care Act, which aims to make essential health services accessible to all Filipinos, especially the most vulnerable.

“We want no life placed in danger simply because of a lack of money,” stated the president.