PASAY CITY -- Senator Christopher “Bong” Go praised the efforts of the Duterte Administration to ensure all Filipinos have the opportunity to access healthcare services, particularly medical assistance programs for poor and indigent patients.

Among key milestones that Go cited is the establishment of ten Malasakit Centers in ZamBaSulTa area (Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi), including three in Zamboanga City alone.

“Sa mga kababayan ko sa Mindanao, lalo na sa malalayong probinsya sa ZamBaSulTa, huwag kayo mag-alala dahil hindi namin kayo pababayaan. Alam namin marami dito ang walang matakbuhan kundi gobyerno lamang. Nandito kami para magserbisyo sa inyo,” he said, emphasizing that the Duterte Administration will always prioritize the welfare of poor and vulnerable sectors who need government attention the most.

Located in the southwestern tip of the Philippines, many communities, particularly in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, are situated in geographically remote areas plagued by armed conflict and extreme poverty. The combination of these factors have made it challenging for the government to provide basic services and infrastructure, and given rise to disparities in access to healthcare and preventive services.

To address this, Go principally authored and sponsored a bill in the Senate that became Republic Act No. 11463, otherwise known as the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which seeks to give Filipinos better opportunities to live their healthiest life possible.

“By establishing Malasakit Centers all over the country, we have actually levelled the playing field and provided our less fortunate countrymen the medical care they deserve. We will be establishing more,” President Rodrigo Duterte said in his last State of the Nation Address.

“Sa pagtatag ng Malasakit Center, hindi na po kailangan lumapit at humingi ng tulong sa iba’t ibang ahensya ng gobyerno. Ang gobyerno na ang lumalapit sa tao,” Duterte emphasized.

The Malasakit Centers initiative was conceived by Go after years of working with the poor and indigent in Davao City which gave him a deep understanding of the barriers the poor and marginalized face when trying to access healthcare.

"Nung mayor pa si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte, maraming tao mula sa mga karatig na probinsya ang pumupunta ng Davao City para humingi ng tulong sa gobyerno. Lunes, pipila 'yan kay mayor, Martes sa PhilHealth at Miyerkules sa [Philippine Charity Sweepstake Office]. Ubos na oras nila sa biyahe, ubos pa pera nila sa pamasahe," recounted Go.

"Sabi ko, bakit ba pinapahirapan ang Pilipino kung pwede naman ilagay ang mga opisina sa isang kwarto para tapos ang proseso sa isang araw. Kaya nung naging presidente ang Pangulo, kinausap ko ang mga ahensya para gawing mas simple ang proseso ng paghingi ng tulong,” he said.

To simplify the process of requesting for medical related government aid, the Malasakit Center brings together under one roof the different national agencies from which Filipino patients may avail of medical assistance. The agencies are PCSO, PhilHealth, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and the Department of Health.

Its primary aim is to reduce a hospital bill to the lowest possible amount, if not zero billing, by covering surgeries, medicines and various other patient services and expenses.

More than two million poor and indigent patients have benefitted from the program. As of writing, there are 136 fully operational Malasakit Centers nationwide, the latest of which were opened at the Basilan General Hospital in Isabela City, Basilan and Labuan General Hospital in Zamboanga City, both on Saturday, August 14.

A total of 75 centers have been launched in Luzon, 26 in Visayas, and 35 in Mindanao, including those at the Sulu Provincial Hospital in Jolo; Datu Halun Sakilan Memorial Hospital in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi; Jose Rizal Memorial Hospital in Dapitan City and ZaNorte Medical Center in Dipolog City, both in Zamboanga del Norte; Margosatubig Regional Hospital in Margosatubig town and Zamboanga del Sur Medical Center in Pagadian City, both in Zamboanga del Sur; and Zamboanga City Medical Center and Mindanao Central Sanitarium in Zamboanga City.

Recalling a recent potentially fatal incident, the Senator said the long hours and often dangerous conditions he faced to visit these hospitals have only strengthened his resolve to work harder to make sure no one is left behind in the quest for better healthcare.

“Nakakawala ng pagod kahit 24/7 ako magtrabaho tuwing nakikita ko kayo. Kung kaya naman ng aking katawan, kami na ang lalapit sa inyo. Ang gobyerno dapat ang lumalapit sa inyo,” Go said in his visits to various areas.

Go had been on his way to the island province of Basilan for the launch of the 135th Malasakit Center over the weekend when the helicopter transporting him and his team got caught in a tailwind and almost flipped out of control.

“Noong galing kami sa may dagat, napansin ko about 400 feet napakabilis ng pagbaba ng helicopter. Nakayuko siya at parang nag-bounce ng dalawang beses sa ere tapos tumabingi! Akala ko katapusan ko na. First time ako nakasakay ng ganon na dire-diretso talaga ang pagbaba. Sa awa ng Diyos ay naligtas naman kami,” said Go, who took the incident as a sign that he still has more good left to do.

“Tulad ng ipanangako namin ni Pangulong Duterte, walang tigil ang trabaho at serbisyo para sa mga Pilipino. Layunin namin na walang maiwan sa hangarin natin na magkaroon ng mas maginhawang buhay. Kaya pakiusap ko sa mga susunod na administrasyon, sana ipagpatuloy niyo ang mga programa ng administrasyong ito na walang ibang layunin kundi magbigay ng serbisyong mabilis, maayos, at maaasahan para sa bawat Pilipino.” (OSBG)