‘Healthcare a right of every Filipino’ — Bong Go
SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go, chair of the Senate committee on health and vice chairperson of the Senate committee on finance, recently played a pivotal role in providing an ambulance for Barangay La Huerta in Parañaque City.
Several barangays have long faced challenges when it comes to emergency medical services. The absence of a dedicated ambulance often leads to delays in medical assistance, putting the lives of residents at risk in various areas in the country.
Go, understanding the gravity of the situation, took it upon himself to address this pressing issue. As vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, he was instrumental in securing the necessary funds to acquire the ambulance during the Duterte administration.
“Ang ambulansya ay hindi lamang isang sasakyan; ito’y mahalagang hakbang upang makasagip tayo ng mga buhay. Bawat segundo ay mahalaga sa mga emergency, at malaki ang magiging papel ng ambulansyang ito upang matugunan natin ang mga pangangailangan ng ating mga kababayan,” he added.
There are numerous benefits of having a dedicated ambulance in the barangay to include faster emergency response. With an ambulance stationed in the barangay, medical teams can reach patients much quicker, thereby reducing the time it takes to get them the medical attention they need.
This is particularly crucial in cases of heart attacks, strokes, and other life-threatening emergencies where immediate intervention can be the difference between life and death.
The ambulance is also equipped with essential medical supplies and life-saving equipment, ensuring that patients receive the best pre-hospital care possible.
Aside from the ambulance, Go supported several initiatives in the city to ensure its progress amid crisis situations. Among the projects are the rehabilitation and construction of several multipurpose buildings, rehabilitation of drainage in Brgy. Don Bosco, and the improvement of the Parañaque River Promenade Bridge.
Meanwhile, Go offered to help those in need of medical care and encouraged them to get medical assistance from the Malasakit Center at Ospital ng Parañaque.
Go initiated the Malasakit Centers program in 2018 after he witnessed the struggles of financially disadvantaged Filipinos in settling their medical expenses. The program, which was institutionalized in 2019 under Republic Act No. 11463, was principally authored and sponsored by Go.
The Malasakit Centers house relevant agencies where patients can conveniently avail of medical assistance programs such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Department of Health (DOH), the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.
There are now 158 Malasakit Centers nationwide which have assisted over seven million Filipinos, according to DOH.
