Admin change won’t stop rollout of ‘Malasakit’ Centers

THE administration may have changed after the May 9, 2022 polls but the commitment of Sen. Christopher ‘Bong’ Go to attend to the health needs of Filipinos, especially the poor, ha not slackened one bit with the opening of the country’s 152nd ‘Malasakit’ Center in Tagkawayan, Quezon province last September 15, 2022.

Accompanied by Sen. Robin Padilla, who topped the senatorial polls last May, Go, motored to the hometown of former PNP Chief Guillermo Eleazar to personally witness the opening the center located at the Maria L. Eleazar General Hospital.

The newly opened Malasakit Center at the MLEGH is the second center established in the province, with the first one located at the Quezon Medical Center in Lucena City, then the 12^th Malasakit Center in the Calabarzon region consisting of the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.

Witnessing first-hand the struggles of low-income Filipinos in getting adequate medical attention, Go had initiated the Malasakit Centers program in 2018 to give particularly poor and indigent patients convenient access to medical assistance programs offered by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

The program was later institutionalized under Republic Act No. 11463, otherwise known as the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which Go principally authored and sponsored, mandating the establishment of Malasakit Centers in all DOH-run hospitals and the Philippine General Hospital.

To ensure its passage, Go deliberately chose to chair the Senate Committee on Health.

Go stressed that other public hospitals can also establish their own Malasakit Centers provided they meet a standard set of criteria to ensure the center’s operation, as mandated under RA 11463.

“Mahirap magkasakit lalo na kung ikaw ay mahirap at hindi alam kung saan kukunin ang pambayad sa ospital at pambili ng gamot,” Go has remarked repeatedly.

“Nasa loob na ho ng hospital ‘yung PhilHealth, PCSO, DOH, at DSWD, tutulungan po ang mga pasyente—mga poor and indigent patients—hanggang maging zero balance po ang inyong billing.

According to the DOH, to date, the Malasakit Centers program has already assisted more than seven million Filipinos nationwide.

Continuing his remarks, the senator lauded all the hospital staff who took their oaths as permanent hospital employees, saying, “Congratulations po. Kaya isa lang po ang ipinapaalala ko sa inyo sa mga frontliners dito, social workers, huwag n’yo pong pabayaan ‘yung mga mahihirap po – ‘yung mga helpless at ‘yung mga hopeless.”

“Sa lahat po ng mga frontliners, kasama na ‘yung utility workers dito sa hospital, maraming-maraming salamat po sa inyong sakripisyo sa panahon ng pandemya.

“Kung hindi po dahil sa inyo, mahihirapan po tayong malampasan, na makabalik unti-unti sa ating normal,” he added.

As part of the senator’s efforts to further improve the delivery of public health services in the hospital, Go helped secure additional funding for medical assistance to aid the less fortunate residents in Quezon province.

After the launch of the center, Go and Padilla personally distributed meals, food packs, vitamins, shirts, and masks to 92 healthcare workers and 16 patients.

Meanwhile, the patients and 58 rank-and-file hospital employees also received financial assistance from the DSWD.

The senator likewise gave away bicycles, cellular phones, shoes, watches, and balls for basketball and volleyball to select individuals.

“Chairman po ako ng (Senate Committees ng) Sports at Health. Advocacy ko po (ay) get into sports, stay away from drugs. Isang paraan po (ito para) ilayo natin ang mga kabataan sa iligal na droga,” he said.

The senator likewise commended the local officials, including Congressman Keith Micah “Atty. Mike” Tan, Governor Angelina “Doktora Helen” Tan, Vice Governor  Anacleto “Third” Alcala, and many others, for their immeasurable service and dedication to help their constituents, especially at this time of health crisis.

Go and Padilla then proceeded to witness the groundbreaking ceremony of a seven-story building inside the hospital complex, which is expected to further expand the capability of the facility.

Go was the principal sponsor of Republic Act 11474 which upgraded the MLEGH into a Level-3 hospital under the DOH. Go also helped allocate funding for the upgrade of the hospital under the 2022 Health Facilities Enhancement Program.