Over 700 Super Health Centers funded nationwide
Bong Go leads groundbreaking of Super Health Center in Echague
SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go personally attended the groundbreaking ceremony of a new Super Health Center in Echague, Isabela on Thursday, January 25. This development is part of a broader initiative of the government to enhance healthcare accessibility and efficiency nationwide.
In his speech, Go emphasized the central objective of the Super Health Center project which is to alleviate the burden on overcrowded hospitals, enable early detection of diseases, and provide vital healthcare services at a grassroots level.
These centers are designed to offer primary care, including medical consultations, which are crucial for maintaining community health.
Once completed, the Echague Super Health Center is expected to provide 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 centers; and telemedicine, which makes remote diagnosis and treatment of patients possible.
“Ngayon po magkakaroon tayo ng mahigit 700 na mga Super Health Center sa buong Pilipinas na napondohan mula 2022 hanggang ngayong taon. Ongoing na po ‘yan, ‘yung iba po tapos na po ang mga Super Health Center. Para ito mailapit natin ‘yung serbisyo medikal sa ating mga kababayan,” Go said.
Go reiterated his commitment to supporting the establishment of more Super Health Centers throughout the country. He also shared that his vision is to bring government medical services closer to the people, especially those in remote and underserved areas.
Furthermore, Senator Go expressed his gratitude to the local officials of Echague, including Mayor Francis Faustino “Kiko” Dy and Vice Mayor Allan Tupong, for their role in making the Super Health Center a reality.
His appreciation underscores the collaborative effort between national and local governments in addressing the healthcare needs of the Filipino people.
Through the collective efforts of the Department of Health (DOH), local government units, and fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds have been allocated for 307 Super Health Centers in 2022, 322 in 2023, and 132 in 2024. DOH, led by Secretary Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa, the lead implementing agency, identifies the strategic areas where they will be constructed.
In the province, there are a total of 18 Super Health Centers funded. On the same day, Go inspected the Super Health Center in Mallig, where he was declared an adopted son of the town.
“The establishment of the Super Health Center in Echague is a testament to the government’s dedication to enhancing the quality and accessibility of healthcare services in the Philippines,” expressed Go.
Go also offered to help those requiring medical treatment. He encouraged individuals to visit either of the two Malasakit Centers in the province, situated at the Southern Isabela Medical Center in Santiago City and the Governor Faustino N. Dy, Sr. Memorial Hospital in Ilagan City. Here, they can easily access medical assistance provided by the government.
A brainchild of Go, the Malasakit Centers program is designed to help particularly poor and indigent patients reduce their medical expenses to the lowest amount possible.
Institutionalized under Republic Act No. 11463, which Go principally sponsored and authored, the Malasakit Centers Act has helped around ten million poor patients, according to the DOH, with 159 Malasakit Centers operational nationwide.
Go then underscored RA 11959, also known as the Regional Specialty Centers Act, a legislative initiative for which he is the principal sponsor and one of the authors in the Senate. The Regional Specialty Centers Act holds importance in the healthcare legislative agenda of the Marcos Administration, as outlined in the Philippine Development Plan covering the years 2023 to 2028. This legislation is designed to establish Regional Specialty Centers within existing regional hospitals under DOH jurisdiction.
In Southern Isabela Medical Center, there are two specialty centers available, such as burn care and dermatology care. It also plans to have geriatric care in the future.
On the same day, Go also visited several of the infrastructure projects he supported in Mallig, including the development of the public market and a bridge. His visit also included a stop in Ilagan City, where he joined in the celebrations of the Bambanti Festival. His staff also checked the road concretion work in Cauayan which he advocated for.
Earlier that day, Go was in Kalinga where he personally attended the 2024 Kalinga Provincial Athletic Meet in Rizal as chairperson of the Senate Sports Committee. He also inspected the progress of the Bono-Bongat Road, a project for which he helped secure funding in his role as vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance.
