PASAY CITY -- Senator Christopher “Bong” Go underscored that health should remain the utmost priority of Filipinos as he highlighted the services of Malasakit Centers for poor and indigent patients.
In his video message during the distribution activities mounted by his team in Pila, San Pablo City, and Sta. Cruz, Laguna on Monday, November 21, Go, as Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, reassured that there are two Malasakit Centers in the province should the residents need government assistance for their medical-related expenses.
The Malasakit Centers program was initiated by Go in 2018 after he witnessed the struggles of financially incapacitated Filipinos to get the medical attention they need. To make certain that medical assistance programs by concerned agencies are conveniently accessible, the program was later institutionalized under Republic Act No. 11463, which Go principally authored and sponsored in the Senate.
“Meron na po tayong 152 Malasakit Centers sa buong bansa. Huwag kayong matakot pumunta sa ospital kung wala kayong pera. Nasa loob na ng isang opisina ang mga ahensya na tutulungan kayo para wala na kayong babayaran,” said Go.
In the province of Laguna, Malasakit Centers are located at Laguna Medical Center in Sta. Cruz and San Pablo City General Hospital.
Apart from the Malasakit Centers, Go is likewise committed to support the construction of Super Health Centers in the province, particularly in the cities of Biñan, Cabuyao, Calamba and Sta. Rosa; and the towns of Alaminos and Mabitac.
Echoing the Department of Health’s statement, Go expressed his confidence that these Super Health Centers would be able to significantly reduce the occupancy rates in hospitals.
Services in the Super Health Center will include database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, 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 center and telemedicine, where remote diagnosis and treatment of patients will be done.
“Naiintindihan ko po na napakalayo ng inyong barangay sa sentro kaya naman kami na po gumawa ng paraan para hindi na kayo lumayo pa. Magkakaroon tayo ng 307 na Super Health Centers sa buong bansa (sa 2022) and at least 320 pa po next year,” said Go.
Held at the Pila Muncipal Gymnasium, San Pablo Central School in San Pablo City, and Laguna Provincial Capitol in Sta. Cruz, Go’s team assisted 980 struggling residents. They distributed snacks, masks, and shirts to the residents. They also provided a bicycle, a cellular phone, shoes, and balls for basketball and volleyball to select individuals.
Furthermore, the Department of Social Welfare and Development extended financial assistance to the residents.
Go, who is also Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, supported the construction of multipurpose buildings in Cavinti, Liliw, Lumban, Majayjay, Pagsanjan, Pila, Sta. Cruz and Sta. Maria; construction of slaughterhouses in Mabitac, Nagcarlan and Pagsanjan; and construction of public markets in Liliw, Nagcarlan, Pagsanjan and Rizal.
Other projects he supported are the construction of a farm-to-market road and a multipurpose covered court in Paete, construction of a drainage canal in Cabuyao City, repair of the primary road inside Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa City, and installation of street lights in Lumban and Magdalena.
“Mga kababayan ko, mag-ingat po tayo. Magdasal po tayo, magtulungan po tayo, magbayanihan po tayo, magmalasakit po tayo sa ating kapwa Pilipino. Magtiwala lang po kayo sa gobyerno at makakaahon din po tayo bilang nagkakaisang mamamayang Pilipino,” encouraged Go.
Go, who is an adopted son of CALABARZON, also had his team mount a relief activity in Pakil last November 18. (OSBG)
