SENATOR Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go, has allayed fears that the government might run out of fund for the country’s vaccination program by next year and the country’s research efforts to create its own vaccines, saying he has already discussed these matters with Pres. Duterte and Department of Finance secretary, Carlos Dominguez.
Go made the assurance during the launch of the country’s 108th ‘Malasakit Center’ at the Conner District Hospital, Conner, Cagayan last May 7, 2021.
This is the fifth Malasakit Center in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and the second in the province, the other being at the Far North General Hospital and Training Center in Luna town.
The 107th Malasakit Center was also launched at the Luis Hora Memorial Regional Hospital in Bauko, Mountain Province on the same day.
In a speech he delivered virtually, Go, also the chair of the Senate Committee on Health, maintained that taking measures to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 and ensure patients have access to medical care has always been a top priority of the Duterte administration.
“Magtiwala tayo sa gobyerno. Ginagawa nito ang lahat para hindi bumagsak ang health care system at walang matatanggihan na ma-admit sa ospital.
“Ayaw natin na may mga severe cases na naghihingalo at nasa labas ng ospital nag-aantay para maasikaso,” said Go, who had also started the government’s ‘Malasakit Center’ program even before being elected to the Senate.
This resulted to the signing by Pres. Duterte of Republic Act 11463 or the ‘Malasakit Centers Act of 2019’ on December 3, 2019, just months after Go was elected senator and filed a resolution for the center’s immediate creation.
The law directs the establishment of a Malasakit Center in the Philippine General Hospital in Manila City and the 73 hospitals administered or managed by the Department of Health.
Hospitals run by local government units (LGUs) and other public hospitals may also establish their own centers provided they meet a standard set of criteria to guarantee the sustainability of its operations.
The senator also revealed his recent discussions with Pres. Duterte and Dominguez, to ensure that sufficient resources are allocated for the continued Covid-19 vaccine rollout even beyond this year.
“Binabalanse ng gobyerno ang mga interes ng ekonomiya at public health. Pero para sa akin, unahin natin dapat ang kalusugan at buhay ng bawat Pilipino. A life lost is a life lost forever kaya pangalagaan natin ito,” he stressed.
Go also emphasized the need to invest more on health research as he cited how crucial it was for the country when he was able to successfully push for additional funding for the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) which now plays an essential role in the country’s pandemic response.
Additionally, Go bared his talks with National Task Force Against Covid-19 Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to include the frontline personnel of the Professional Regulation Commission, such as proctors and watchers, and board examiners in the A4 priority group for inoculation.
He said his goal in asking them IATF to consider his proposal is for the PRC to be able to administer the licensure examination for health professionals such as nurses, whose service and skills are in dire need at the moment.
“Ipapabakuna natin sila para makapag-conduct na sila ng examinations para sa mga nurse at iba pang health graduates para makapag-board exams na sila. Lalo na ngayon, kailangan talaga natin ng mga health workers. Kulang talaga tayo ng mga nurse) sa mga lugar na nagkaroon ng surge, gaya ng Metro Manila,” continued Go.
The senator concluded his speech by thanking the various government officials who worked together to provide the people of Apayao with better health care.
He specifically thanked Secretary Dino of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, DOH Undersecretary Roger Tong-an, Assistant Secretary Girlie Veloso of the Office of the President, DSWD Assistant Secretary Victor Neri, Representative Elias Bulut, Jr., Governor Eleanor Begtang, and Mayor Martina Dangoy, among others.