Five of the 14 hospitals are in Metro Manila alone. Seven regions have no accredited facilities at all.

MANILA, Philippines – Access to state insurance coverage for Filipino children with disabilities remains limited, as data gathered by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) show that seven regions have no facilities for such coverage.

EDCOM 2 found that in the entire country, there are only 14 hospitals offering the Z Benefit package of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) for children with disabilities.

Of those 14 hospitals, 10 are in Luzon, while there are only two each in the Visayas and Mindanao. Out of the 10 in Luzon, five or half are concentrated in the National Capital Region.

The following regions do not have accredited facilities:

• Ilocos Region
• Mimaropa
• Central Visayas
• Zamboanga Peninsula
• Northern Mindanao
• Soccsksargen
• Caraga

The Z Benefit package gives financial coverage to people suffering from “catastrophic illnesses” or medical conditions requiring costly, long-term treatments such as cancer and kidney transplants.

In the Philippines, there are 5.1 million children with disabilities, according to an EDCOM 2 policy brief.

The package for them covers four types of disabilities: developmental disabilities (such as autism, intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, and others), hearing impairment, mobility disorders, and visual disabilities.

As of June 2026, only one facility in the country offers coverage for all four types of disabilities — the Philippine General Hospital in Manila. One facility in the Visayas and one facility in Mindanao both offer coverage for three types of disabilities. The remaining facilities only cover one type of disability.

Find all of the hospitals on the map below. Click the white dots to see each hospital’s name and the types of disabilities covered under the Z Benefit package. Regions shaded in lighter orange have no accredited facilities.

Here is a list of all the hospitals in a searchable table.

PhilHealth data showed that there were only 841 Z Benefit paid claims nationwide in December 2025, amounting to P6.8 million. These do not reflect individual transactions, as one beneficiary can make multiple claims.

PhilHealth currently operates with a P128.7-billion budget for 2026, with an additional P60 billion following a Supreme Court decision. P16.5 billion has been set aside to strengthen the implementation of the Universal Health Care Act, including improvements to Z Benefit packages.

In a 2022 report, the United Nations Children’s Fund or UNICEF found that raising a child with disability in the Philippines costs 40% to 80% more than raising a child without a disability. It recommended that PhilHealth ramp up its coverage as it only covers a fraction of the actual expenses.

In his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. mentioned that PhilHealth would expand its coverage for children with developmental disabilities.

“Dodoblehin natin ang PhilHealth package para sa pagpapatingin sa therapy. Dadamihan din natin mula 90 hanggang 150 ang bilang ng therapy sessions na sakop ng PhilHealth,” Marcos said in his speech.

(We will double the PhilHealth package for therapy consultations. We will also increase the number of therapy sessions covered by PhilHealth from 90 to 150.)

Package benefits

Asked for more details regarding Marcos’ SONA remarks, PhilHealth said it is still reviewing how to enhance the package for children with developmental disabilities, and that it aims to have the specifics out by the end of 2026.

For now, beneficiaries — who must be 0 to 17 years old and must undergo the required assessments to be eligible — can seek the following forms of insurance coverage that vary per disability:

Children with developmental disabilities– P3,626 to P5,276 for assessment and discharge assessment
– Up to nine therapy sets, with 10 sessions each, at P5,000 per setChildren with hearing impairment– Insurance for hearing aid fitting ranges from P45,000 to P67,000, depending on the age and severity of the condition
– P22,000 to P63,000 for speech therapy sessions and counselingChildren with mobility disorders– P13,110 to P163,540 for acquiring assistive devices, depending on the age and severity of the condition
– P1,500 to P13,000 yearly services and replacement of devicesChildren with visual disabilities– P9,000 to P31,000 for initial assessment and intervention, including rehabilitation and training, depending on visual impairment category
– P2,000 to P7,000 for optical aids, depending on visual impairment category
– P780 to P3,000 for yearly diagnostics

View the full list of PhilHealth’s packages and detailed benefits for each disability here.

PhilHealth’s Corporate Communication Department told Rappler that they are also looking to improve the rest of the packages for other disabilities.

“We are currently improving our benefits packages…. Depende po sa outcome ng studies/research (It depends on the outcome of studies and research), in order to develop the policy,” they said in a Viber message.

On Monday, August 3, the House education committee found that there is also a shortage of medical experts to diagnose children with disabilities.

As of July 27, there are only 109 developmental pediatricians — who assess, diagnose, and treat children with learning difficulties and behavioral disorders — and 155 clinics certified by the Philippine Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics that serve the entire country. – Rappler.com