THE opening of the 165th Malasakit Center at the Conrado F. Estrella Regional Medical and Trauma Center in Rosales, Pangasinan, on May 10, aims to further boost access to healthcare particularly in terms of medical assistance for poor and indigent patients. This is the sixth of its kind in Ilocos region and part of a broader network of 92 centers throughout Luzon.
The launch, attended by the “Father of Malasakit Centers” Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, highlighted his commitment as Chair of the Senate Health Committee to expanding healthcare access and reducing the financial burden of medical treatments for the Filipino people, especially those in rural areas.
Go is the principal author and sponsor of Republic Act No. 11463, or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program. According to DOH, the centers have assisted more or less ten million Filipinos so far since its inception.
“Nagbukas po tayo ng bagong Malasakit Center dito sa Rosales para masiguro na ang mga Pilipino ay may access sa mabilis, maayos, at maaasahang tulong pampagamot para sa serbisyong medikal na kailangan nila.”
“Pagmamalasakit po ito sa mga pasyenteng may pinagdadaanan sa kanilang kalusugan. Ang mahirap, dapat huwag nang mas pahirapan pa. Padaliin natin ang pag-avail ng tulong pampagamot mula sa gobyerno sa pamamagitan ng Malasakit Centers,” Go explained further.
The new Malasakit Center serves as a one-stop shop for medical-related financial assistance, integrating programs from the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. This integration ensures that patients can access various types of assistance in a single location, thereby streamlining the process and reducing the logistical burden on patients and their families.
With six Malasakit Centers now operational within the Ilocos Region, residents have broader access to these programs without needing to travel to various offices to avail of government aid. The other Malasakit Center in the province is at the Region 1 Medical Center in Dagupan City.
Department of Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III who is from Rosales earlier lauded Go for his crucial role in the development of Malasakit Centers, saying, “Unang-una, nais nating batiin, walang iba kung hindi ang tumulong sa atin dito sa ospital na ito. Ang isa sa pinakamasipag, pinakamagaling tumulong, lalo na sa mahihirap, walang iba kung hindi si Senator Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go.”
Secretary Estrella reflected on the challenging process of bringing the project to fruition, crediting Go for his persistence and leadership. “Sa pagdaan natin sa butas ng karayom, ang ating kasama ay walang iba, kung hindi ang ating mahal na Senator Bong Go.”
Sec. Estrella, when he was still a congressman, collaborated with Senator Go to push for the establishment of the said hospital through R.A. No. 11558 or An Act Establishing a General Hospital in the Municipality of Rosales, Province of Pangasinan to be known as the Conrado F. Estrella Regional Medical and Trauma Center. The law was principally sponsored by Go in the Senate last Congress.
Meanwhile, Go reiterated his commitment to supporting other initiatives to improve healthcare access, such as establishing more Super Health Centers to bring primary care closer to communities and Regional Specialty Centers to bring specialized medical services to all regions nationwide.
Through the concerted efforts of Go, fellow lawmakers, the DOH, led by Secretary Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa, and local government units, adequate funding was allocated for establishing more than 700 Super Health Centers nationwide. In the Ilocos Region, eight Super Health Centers are funded in Ilocos Norte, five in Ilocos Sur, six in La Union, and 26 in Pangasinan.
Go is also the principal sponsor and one of the authors of RA 11959, or the Regional Specialty Centers Act. These facilities will focus on providing advanced medical care for specific conditions, thereby enhancing the capacity to offer specialized treatment and cater to the complex health needs of Filipinos in all regions.
“Hinding-hindi ko po sasayangin yung pagkakataong ibinigay n’yo po sa akin. Magtatrabaho po ako para sa Pilipino. At iyan po ang pwede kong i-alay sa inyo, ang aking bisyo sa pagseserbisyo,” assured Go.
Known as Mr. Malasakit, Go continues to work with fellow public servants in prioritizing the needs of the poor and bringing public services directly to those sectors in need especially when it comes to healthcare.
“Patuloy nating ilapit ang serbisyo ng gobyerno sa mga nangangailangan nito lalo na pagdating sa kalusugan. Tandaan natin na ang kalusugan ay katumbas ng buhay ng bawat Pilipino,” he reiterated.
