In his ongoing effort to provide accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare for all Filipinos, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday promised to establish more Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Service (BUCAS) facilities across the country.

President Marcos made the commitment in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), delivered at the House of Representatives, underscoring the need to bring essential health services closer to the people, especially in underserved and remote areas.

“Asahan ninyo, marami pa ang ating bubuksan na BUCAS,” the President said.

The Chief Executive noted that over the past three years, the administration has established 53 BUCAS centers in 32 provinces.

These centers provide free outpatient services to patients who require urgent care but do not necessitate hospitalization. Among the services offered in these centers are free medical consultations, laboratory tests, and X-rays.

“At nasisiyahan ako na makapag-report na sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon, ang bawat bayan po sa Pilipinas ngayon ay may doktor. Mayroon nang magiging tagapag-alaga ng kalusugan ng mamamayan sa inyong lugar,” President Marcos said.

The establishment of BUCAS centers addresses the long-standing gaps in public healthcare, where many Filipinos are forced to travel great distances to access basic medical services.

With BUCAS centers present in several provinces, urgent medical care is just a few steps away for millions of Filipinos. | PND