Providing better access to healthcare for all

SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go personally attended the launch of the country’s 155th Malasakit Center at the Dr. George T. Hofer Medical Center in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay.

This is the eighth Malasakit Center in Zamboanga Peninsula, following the opening of such centers at Zamboanga City Medical Center, Mindanao Central Sanitarium, and Labuan General Hospital, all in Zamboanga City; Jose Rizal Memorial Hospital in Dapitan City; Zamboanga del Norte Medical Center in Dipolog City; Zamboanga del Sur Medical Center in Pagadian City; and Margosatubig Regional Hospital in Margosatubig.

As Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Go reiterated his firm commitment to ensure that government medical assistance programs are more accessible to all, particularly in far-flung communities.

In his speech, Go acknowledged the challenges faced by financially incapacitated Filipinos that led him to initiate the Malasakit Centers program in 2018. It was later institutionalized under Republic Act No. 11463, also known as the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which Go principally authored and sponsored in the Senate.

“Congratulations po sa mga kababayan ko rito sa Zamboanga Sibugay, sa mga kababayan kong Sibugaynon sa ating 155th na Malasakit Center na binuksan po dito sa inyong provincial hospital. Para po ito sa mga poor and indigent patients. At walang pinipili ito, basta Pilipino ka, qualified ka po sa Malasakit Center. According to the law, lahat po ng DOH-run hospitals ay magkakaroon ng Malasakit Center. Ang provincial hospital naman ninyo ay pumasa sa criteria set by the law, kaya nagkaroon rin po ng Malasakit Center (dito),” cited Go in an interview after the event.

“Bakit natin kailangang pahirapan ang ating mga kababayan? Pera naman po nila yan. Kaya nilagay natin sa iisang kwarto ang apat na ahensya ng gobyerno — ang DSWD, PCSO, DOH, at PhilHealth — para tumulong sa ating mga kababayan na nangangailangan ng serbisyong medikal,” he added.

Go was also instrumental in securing necessary funds for the improvement of the services and facilities at Dr. George T. Hofer Medical Center.

“Sa lahat ng ating frontliners na nandito ngayon, maraming salamat sa inyong serbisyo at malasakit lalo na sa panahon ngayon. Hindi po nababayaran ng kahit anuman po ang inyong sakripisyo.

Kaya naman bilang inyong senador, patuloy akong magseserbisyo sa inyo sa abot ng aking makakaya,” Go reassured.

After the launch, Go personally spearheaded a distribution activity where 425 hospital workers and 95 patients received grocery packs, masks, vitamins, shirts, and meals. Furthermore, the senator gave away bicycles, caps, umbrellas, cellular phones, watches, and balls for basketball and volleyball to select beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development provided separate financial assistance to the patients.

“As chair of the Committee on Health sa Senado, susubukan kong makatulong po dito sa inyong hospital to improve your facilities, para mas mapaigting pa ang serbisyo medikal na hindi na nila kailangan pang bumiyahe ng Zamboanga City o iba pang lungsod para sa pagpapagamot. Tutulong po ako sa abot ng aking makakaya. Hindi po ako mangangako, gagawin ko lang po ang aking makakaya na makatulong po dito na hindi na kailangang magbiyahe ng malayo ng mga kababayan natin,” reassured Go.

“Ang pakiusap ko lang naman po sa ating mga social worker at sa medical chief (Dr. Sherwin Bastero), sa lahat po ng mga medical workers na nandito, unahin po natin ‘yung mga kababayan nating mahihirap. Itong Malasakit Center, para po ito sa mga poor and indigent patients, sa mga mahihirap nating kababayan na walang matakbuhan, walang malapitan. Tulungan po natin sila, ‘yun lang po ang pakiusap ko sa inyong lahat,” he urged.

The senator then gave recognition to all of the local officials, led by Governor Ann Hofer and Vice Governor Atty. Rey Andre Olegario, Ipil Mayor Amy Olegario, other local officials, as well as Department of Health Director Girlie Veloso, among others, who have worked together to ensure that more Filipinos get convenient access to quality health services from the government.

Apart from the Malasakit Centers, Go also supported the establishment of six Super Health Centers in the province which shall provide basic health services, such as database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray, 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 Go’s initiative, some 307 Super Health Centers were funded in 2022. The senator also successfully pushed for the funding of at least 322 more SHCs in this year’s health budget.

As Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go likewise supported several initiatives in Ipil, such as the construction of multipurpose buildings and road rehabilitation in several barangays, and the acquisition of an ambulance unit and two dump trucks.

On the same day, Go attended the Araw of Zamboanga Sibugay and spearheaded another relief operation for the fire victims in Ipil. He likewise witnessed the groundbreaking of the Ipil Sports Complex, inspected the construction of a new legislative building and witnessed the turnover of a covered court — all of which he pushed for sufficient funding in the previous years.

The senator also went to Zamboanga City that day where he provided assistance to more fire victims.