SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, commended the Department of Health and the local government of Bacoor City in Cavite for the groundbreaking of its Super Health Center by.

According to Go, who is also an adopted son of CALABARZON, the health facility aims to address the growing healthcare needs of the city and improve the provision of primary care, medical consultations and early disease detection in its communities.

Mayor Strike Revilla, who was present during the event, extended his gratitude towards the senator for his support in the construction of the Super Health Center in the city.

“Sa aking kumpare, Senator Bong Go, maraming maraming salamat sa tulong mo sa Bacoor (City). Alam ko noon pa man at hanggang ngayon, hindi mo kami pinapabayaan. Lagi kaming andirito para sa iyo. Maraming maraming salamat,” Revilla said.

Revilla was also accompanied by Congresswoman Lani Mercado-Revilla who also thanked Go for his continued support to the city and the whole province of Cavite.

Go, in a video message, underscored the pivotal function these healthcare facilities serve in the advancement of the nation’s healthcare system. He also stressed that the aim is to establish Super Health Centers in strategic locations as identified by DOH, to support remote communities and guarantee broader accessibility to essential healthcare services for Filipinos.

“Mayroong napondohan na 307 na Super Health Center sa taong 2022 at 322 na Super Health Center sa taong 2023 sa buong Pilipinas. Alam n’yo sa kakaikot ko sa Pilipinas, nakita ko ang mga ibang mahihirap na lugar na wala talagang sariling mga health centers. Ang mga buntis nanganganak na lang sa tricycle o jeepney dahil sa sobrang layo ng mga ospital. Ngayon hindi n’yo na kailangan pa na pumunta sa mga ospital, pwede na kayo dito magpagamot,” Go said.

The Super Health Center will serve as a hub for various healthcare services, including 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. These centers can also be used as satellite vaccination sites for those Filipinos who live far from the urban centers.

The Department of Health (DOH), as the lead implementing agency, identifies the strategic areas where they will be constructed.

In the province, aside from Bacoor City, necessary funds were allocated to construct Super Health Centers in Dasmariñas City, General Trias City, Carmona City, Tagaytay City, Imus City, Alfonso, Kawit, Magallanes, Tanza, General Mariano Alvarez, and Rosario.

“Ipagpatuloy natin na ilapit ang serbisyong medikal mula gobyerno sa ating mga kababayang mahihirap na walang ibang matakbuhan. The more we should support their health needs, the more na mag-invest po tayo sa ating healthcare system,” Go said.

Go also reminded residents to avail themselves of the services provided by the Malasakit Centers located at the Southern Tagalog Regional Hospital in the city and at the General Emilio Aguinaldo Memorial Hospital in Imus City.

The Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which Go principally authored and sponsored, brings together various government agencies such as DOH, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, under one roof to provide a convenient process for availing medical assistance, particularly for indigent patients in public hospitals.

To date, there are 159 Malasakit Centers nationwide which have already served over seven million Filipinos according to DOH.