BISLIG CITY, Surigao del Sur – As the government bolsters its efforts to improve and implement easy access to medical and health care assistance especialy to the poor and vulnerable members of the society, the country's 159th Malasakit Center was successfully opened to the public in Bislig City, Surigao del Sur on September 15, 2023.
Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, the Demography, and the author and father of the Malasakit Center, personally attended the opening at the Bislig District Hospital in Bislig City, Surigao del Sur as guest of honor and speaker.
The newly opened Malasakit Center in Bislig District Hospital, under the district of Rep. Johnny Pimentel, is the seventh Malasakit Center in Caraga Region and the 40th site in Mindanao.
This facility served as the third Malasakit Center in Surigao del Sur. The 128th Malasakit Center and built as the first facility in the province was launched in Lianga District Hospital on July 10, 2021. While the 131st Malasakit Center, as the second unit in the province, was launched in Adela Serra Ty Memorial Medical Center (ASTMMC) in Tandag City last July 31, 2021.
The program on Malasakit Centers provided a seamless and expedited process for particularly poor and indigent-patients to access government medical and health care assistance programs. It was an idea born out of the legislator's concern for the well-being of the poorest Filipinos who often struggle to get medical needs. It served as a one-stop shop, streamlining the assistance process by bringing together various government agencies under one roof, where the patients could seek assistance for their medical bills, laboratory fees, and other related expenses without the hassle of multiple visits and endless paperwork.
"The establishment of the Malasakit Center is one of my priorities, " emphasized Senator Go as he authored the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019.
"As Chairman ng Committee on Health, priority ko talaga itong Malasakit Center para mayroon kayong nalalapitan sa inyong pagpapaospital. Nandito na ang apat na ahensya ng gobyerno, ang PhilHealth, PCSO, DOH, DSWD na tutulong sa inyong pagpapagamot. Lapitan niyo yang Malasakit Center. Para yan sa Pilipino, pagmamay-ari niyo yang Malasakit Center. Para yan sa inyo," explained the senator.
“Isa lang po ang pakiusap ko, gamitin niyo po (ang pondo) sa mga mahihirap. Ubusin niyo po ang pera ng gobyerno para sa mga mahihirap. Sabi ko, bakit natin pahirapan ang Pilipino? Sa totoo lang po (ay) pera ninyo yan. Dapat po ibalik sa inyo sa mabilis na paraan. ‘Yan po ang Malasakit Center,” Senator added.
During the launch, Go expressed his gratitude to the local officials, including Second District Congressman Pimentel, Governor Alexander Pimentel, Mayor Florencio Garay, and Vice Mayor Atty. Alfredo Carmelo, as well as the medical staff, and partner agencies who made the program's expansion possible.
“Hindi po ako titigil po sa mga programang makakabuti po sa ating mga kababayan, ipagpapatuloy ko po ang mga nasimulan. Tulad nitong Malasakit Center kung nakakatulong naman po sa mga kababayan natin, ipagpapatuloy natin,” Go further said.
