IN a compassionate move to support patients and their watchers in public hospitals, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, has expanded his feeding program initiative, focusing on public health facilities with Malasakit Centers.

This initiative is part of the senator’s broader commitment to ensure that no Filipino goes hungry, especially during the challenging times of hospitalization.

Malasakit Centers, a flagship project initiated by Senator Go, is a one-stop shop that aims to streamline the process for indigent patients to access medical assistance from various government agencies.

Witnessing firsthand the struggles of underprivileged Filipinos with their medical expenses, Senator Go launched the Malasakit Centers program in 2018 and was institutionalized through Republic Act No. 11463 that he principally authored and sponsored in the Senate in 2019.

There are 159 Malasakit Centers established nationwide that have helped approximately ten million indigent Filipinos, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

Aside from the medical assistance conveniently available in Malasakit Centers, Go’s feeding initiative extends additional support by providing meals to patients and their watchers. It acknowledges that many come to hospitals with just enough funds to cover transportation and health expenses. Hence, such efforts are intended to help people already struggling with financial and medical issues by providing meals to ease their worries while in the hospital.

“Ang paglunsad ng feeding initiative sa ating mga pampublikong ospital na may Malasakit Centers ay personal ko na tulong sa aking kapwa na bunga rin ng aking personal na karanasan at mga nasaksihan sa araw-araw na pagtulong sa ating mga kababayan,” he explained.

“Marami sa ating mga pasyente at kanilang mga bantay ang dumadayo pa mula sa malalayong lugar, dala ang kaunting budget na sapat lang para sa kanilang pamasahe at ospital. Naisip ko, paano na lang ang kanilang kakainin?” Go pondered.

Senator Go’s Malasakit Team has coordinated with hospital administrators, local government units and volunteers to roll out this feeding initiative, ensuring that nutritious meals are distributed efficiently.

“Sa simpleng paraan na ito, nais kong tiyakin na hindi sila magugutom habang sila ay nasa ospital at nagpapagaling. Ang bawat Pilipino ay may karapatan sa maayos na kalusugan at sapat na nutrisyon, lalo na sa panahon ng kagipitan,” he said.

“Sa pamamagitan nito, nais kong iparating na nandito kami para magmalasakit sa kanilang pinagdadaanan at magbigay suporta hindi lamang sa aspeto ng kalusugan kundi pati na rin sa kanilang pang-araw-araw na pangangailangan,” he explained.

Go’s Malasakit Team has successfully organized numerous feeding initiatives nationwide for the last two weeks.

In Quezon City alone, they served rice porridges at Veterans Memorial Medical Center, Philippine Children’s Medical Center, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Philippine Heart Center, National Children’s Hospital, Philippine Orthopedic Center, and Lung Center of the Philippines, which Go personally led last January 24 during his visit.

They also gave meals to patients and watchers in hospitals in Manila City, such as Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, San Lazaro Hospital, and Tondo Medical Center.

Meanwhile, they also extended the feeding program to the rest of Metro Manila, including Valenzuela City Emergency Hospital and Valenzuela Medical Center in Valenzuela City, Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center in Las Piñas City, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine and National Center for Mental Health in Muntinlupa City, Pasay General Hospital in Pasay City, Ospital ng Parañaque, Navotas City Hospital, Rizal Medical Center in Pasig City, Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center in Marikina City, and San Juan Medical Center in San Juan City.

In the rest of Luzon, the Malasakit Team organized feeding programs at President Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Hospital in Iba, Zambales; Tarlac Provincial Hospital in Tarlac City; Mariveles Mental Wellness in Mariveles, and Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center in Balanga, both in Bataan; Batangas Medical Center in Batangas City; Aurora Memorial Hospital in Baler, Aurora; Dr. Paulino J. Garcia Memorial Research and Medical Center and Eduardo L. Joson Memorial Hospital, both in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija; and Southern Tagalog Regional Hospital in Bacoor City, Cavite.

Kapampangan patients and watchers also received meals at Overseas Filipino Workers Hospital and Diagnostic Center and Jose B. Lingad Hospital in San Fernando City, and Rafael Lazatin Memorial Medical Center in Angeles City.

Similarly, the Malasakit Team served meals at Cainta Municipal Hospital in Cainta, and Margarito Duavit Memorial Hospital in Binangonan, both in Rizal province.

Meanwhile, they also provided rice porridges in hospitals in the Visayas region, including Cebu South Medical Center in Talisay City, Cebu, and Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital in Tagbilaran City, Bohol.

Lastly, the Mindanao team held the feeding programs at Cotabato Regional and Medical Center in Cotabato City, Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City, Amai Pakpak Medical Center in Marawi City, and Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center in Mati City.