Funds for the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) will be placed directly under the Department of Health (DOH) once the proposed 2026 national budget is enacted.

Palawan 2nd District Representative Jose Alvarez, a member of the House bicameral conference committee, said no MAIFIP funds will pass through politicians, stressing a shift away from a patronage-based system. The move aims to transition medical aid distribution to an institution-based approach.

Alvarez said a similar system has been successfully implemented in the tertiary education sector and can also work for public health services. He added that patronage often arises due to limited funding sources.

During the bicameral conference, the House and Senate agreed to allocate ₱51.6 billion for the MAIFIP program in the 2026 budget.