Aids patients, frontliners

SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go, chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, personally visited Jordan, Guimaras on Friday where he checked the operations of a Malasakit Center in the town.

To help ensure quality healthcare services are provided to the residents, Go conducted a monitoring visit to the Malasakit Center at Dr. Catalino Gallego Nava Provincial Hospital (DCGNPH). In his speech, Go highlighted that there are now 157 Malasakit Centers nationwide that serve as one-stop shops for medical assistance programs, streamlining the process of availing such programs.

“Ako po ang Chairman of Committee on Health sa Senado at ako rin ang Chairman on Sports. Kaya Mr. Malasakit, mayroon na tayong 157 na Malasakit Centers sa buong Pilipinas, kasama na po ang Guimaras, na may Malasakit Center,” said Go.

First established in Cebu in 2018, the Malasakit Center is a brainchild of Go which houses agencies such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office to assist particularly poor and indigent patients with their hospital bills.

“Doon ko po nakita ‘yung puso ni (dating) mayor Duterte sa mga mahihirap. Noong naging presidente s’ya, sinubukan namin, nilagay namin sa Cebu sa isang kwarto sa loob ng ospital ‘yung four agencies na may medical assistance programs para hindi na mag-ikot o pumila pa ang mga pasyente sa iba’t ibang opisina,” Go shared.

“Ngayon po, mayroong 700 thousand patients sa Cebu alone at seven million na po ang natulungan sa buong Pilipinas ng Malasakit Center. Iyan po ang natutulungan ng Malasakit Center ngayon.

Kaya isinabatas natin itong Malasakit Center noong ako ay naging senador,” he continued.

Go is the principal author and sponsor of the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019.

During the visit, Go and his team also provided assistance, such as grocery packs, masks, vitamins, and snacks to 217 patients and 512 frontliners, including security guards, utilities, and other hospital staff. They also gave away bicycles, shoes, mobile phones, and watches to select beneficiaries.

The DSWD also provided financial assistance to 118 qualified patients.

The senator then mentioned that there will also be Super Health Centers in the province, including in Jordan, Nueva Valencia, and Buenavista — the last one’s groundbreaking was personally witnessed by Go later that day.

Services offered in Super Health Centers include database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray and ultrasound), pharmacy and ambulatory surgical unit.

Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service, oncology centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation center and telemedicine, where remote diagnosis and treatment of patients will be done.

Through the collective efforts of fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds had been allocated for 307 Super Health Centers in 2022 and 322 in 2023. DOH, the lead implementing agency, identifies the strategic areas where they will be constructed.

Earlier that day, Go, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Sports, attended a volleyball tournament as part of the Manggahan Festival of the province. The senator emphasized the importance of sports in promoting a healthy lifestyle, fostering discipline, and honing teamwork. He encouraged the aspiring athletes to pursue their dreams and assured them of his unwavering support.

“Ngayon as Chairman po ng Committee on Sports, gusto ko po ipagpatuloy na labanan ang ilegal na droga sa pamamaraan po na engganyuhin ang mga kabataan to get into sports, stay away from drugs. Ilayo natin ang kabataan sa ilegal na droga,” urged Go.

Go was joined by Governor Joaquin Carlos “JC” Rahman Nava, Vice Governor John Edward Gando, Uswag Ilonggo Partylist Congressman Jojo Ang, and Guimaras Lone District Congresswoman Lucille Nava, among others, during his visit.

Later that day, Go also visited Buenavista town in Guimaras where he led the groundbreaking of the town’s Super Health Center, spearheaded a relief operation for indigents, and visited local infrastructure initiatives he earlier supported such as the Buenavista Wharf and a seawall in the town.