PASAY CITY -- Senator Christopher "Bong" Go urged Filipinos to put their health first and praised the Duterte Administration's efforts to close gaps in health care access, particularly for the urban poor, as the 145th Malasakit Center opened on October 25 at the Philippine National Police General Hospital in Quezon City; and the 146th on Wednesday, October 27 at the Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center in Las Piñas City.

“Ito ang serbisyong ipinangako at tinupad namin ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte — serbisyong ramdam kahit saang sulok ng bansa. Ano nga ba ang kwalipikasyon sa Malasakit Center? Basta Pilipino, poor o indigent patient ka, qualified ka sa mga serbisyo nito. Mayroon na tayong 80 na Malasakit Centers sa Luzon, 37 sa Mindanao at 29 sa Visayas at tuluy-tuloy lang ang pagbubukas nito dahil sa batas na ito,” Go said.

Go’s experiences working under then Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte exposed him to the stressful and difficult process Filipinos go through just to seek government aid for their medical bills. These encounters moved him to conceptualize the one-stop shop which he promised to push for during his senatorial campaign.

“Sa twenty-three years kong pagsisilbi sa ilalim ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte, nakita ko araw-araw ‘yung mga problema ng bansa. Maraming mahihirap ang pumupunta ng Davao noon para humingi ng tulong sa kanilang pampa-ospital. Ubos na panahon nila, ubos pa pera nila sa pamasahe,” Go said.

“Sabi ko, bakit ba natin pinapahirapan ang mga Pilipino kung pera naman nila ‘yan. Kaya nung naging senador ako, itinulak ko ang Malasakit Centers Act. Target nito ay ‘zero balance’ para wala ng babayaran ang mga poor at indigent,” he explained.

The Malasakit Center brings together the offices of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office under one roof to ease access to government financial and medical assistance, particularly to poor and indigent patients.

The one-stop-stop aims to reduce a hospital bill to the lowest amount possible by covering various patient services and expenses, pursuant to Republic Act No. 11463 or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which Go principally authored and sponsored in the Senate.

More than three million patients have benefitted since the program was initiated in 2018. There are now 146 fully operational Malasakit Centers nationwide.

In Metro Manila, a total of 30 public hospitals have opened Malasakit Centers, including the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital, Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, San Lazaro Hospital, Tondo Medical Center, and the Philippine General Hospital in Manila.

In the 2nd District, centers have been launched at the National Center for Mental Health in Mandaluyong City; Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center in Marikina City; Rizal Medical Center in Pasig City; San Juan Medical Center in San Juan City; and the Lung Center of the Philippines, Novaliches District Hospital, Philippine Heart Center, Philippine Children's Medical Center, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, East Avenue Medical Center, Veterans Memorial Medical Center, Philippine Orthopedic Center, National Children's Hospital, PNP General Hospital, and Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City.

Meanwhile, the Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital in Caloocan City; Ospital ng Malabon in Malabon City; Navotas City Hospital in Navotas City; Valenzuela Medical Center and Valenzuela City Emergency Hospital in Valenzuela City in the 3rd District have also opened their own.

Similar centers are also found at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa City; Ospital ng Parañaque in Parañaque City; Pasay City General Hospital in Pasay City; Taguig-Pateros District Hospital in Taguig City; and Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center in Las Piñas City in the 4th District.

During a speech at the unveiling of the Malasakit Center in Las Piñas City, the senator, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health, encouraged hospitals to prioritize the welfare of poor patients, particularly those who have nowhere else to turn for their medical needs.

“Ubusin niyo ang pera ng gobyerno para tulungan ang mga hopeless, helpless at walang matakbuhan. Ibalik niyo ang pera sa mga mahihirap,” appealed Go.

Go has pledged to work closely with the Duterte Administration to improve access and capabilities of hospitals and other health facilities so that they can continue to serve their patients despite the current COVID-19 situation.

“Basta, ‘wag kayong mag-atubiling lumapit sa amin ni Pangulong Duterte. Huwag din kayong magpasalamat sa amin dahil trabaho naman namin ito. Kami nga ang nagpapasalamat sa inyo dahil binigyan niyo kami ng pagkakataon para makapagserbisyo sa taumbayan. Ibabalik namin sa inyo ang serbisyong dapat sa inyo,” he reassured.

Despite filing his candidacy for vice president for the upcoming national elections, Go stressed that his focus remains on fulfilling his mandate as a senator and in ensuring public service delivery amid the ongoing crisis.

“Mawalang galang, ‘wag muna natin pag-usapan nag pulitika dahil hindi pa panahon nito. Mas interesado ang taumbayan kung paano natin malampasan ang pandemya. Unahin muna natin malampasan ang krisis na ito dahil kung hindi natin malampasan ito, baka wala na tayong pulitikang pag-uusapan,” he stressed.

Go emphasized the importance of continuing to improve governance in order to meet the evolving needs of Filipinos, particularly at a time when the ongoing pandemic has altered everyone's way of life.

“It is for this reason that I continue to prioritize improving the delivery of key public services, especially health care — in keeping with President Duterte’s commitment to provide a more responsive and compassionate government by bringing it closer to those in need,” he said. (OSBG)