SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go, known as Mr. Malasakit for his consistent compassionate service for the poor and vulnerable sectors, continues to expand his feeding program initiative, specifically targeting public hospitals equipped with Malasakit Centers nationwide.
This initiative is part of a broader effort to alleviate the hardships patients and their families face during hospital visits, especially those from far-flung areas.
Just yesterday, Go went as far as Tawi-Tawi to check on the Malasakit Center there and personally lead the provision of rice porridge to patients and frontliners.
Over the past weeks, from February 1 to 23, Go’s Malasakit Team has conducted the feeding program in various hospitals, including the Philippine Heart Center, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Philippine Orthopedic Center, Philippine Lung Center, Philippine Children’s Medical Center, Philippine Heart Center, Veterans Memorial Medical Center, East Avenue Medical Center, and Novaliches District Hospital, all of which are located in Quezon City.
There were also feeding programs organized in other hospitals in Metro Manila, including the National Center for Mental Health in Mandaluyong City, Taguig-Pateros District Hospital in Taguig City, Pasay City General Hospital, Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center, Ospital ng Parañaque, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa City, and Philippine General Hospital Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, the last two of which are located in Manila City.
The Malasakit Team was also dispatched to provide meals at Ospital ng San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan Medical Center in Malolos City, both in Bulacan; Jose B. Lingad Memorial Hospital and Overseas Filipino Workers Hospital and Diagnostic Center, both in San Fernando City, Pampanga; Southern Tagalog Regional Hospital in Bacoor City, Cavite; Tarlac Provincial Hospital in Tarlac City; Marinduque Provincial Hospital in Boac, Marinduque; Mariveles Mental Wellness and General Hospital in Mariveles and Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center in Balanga, both in Bataan.
Meanwhile, the senator’s Malasakit Team also organized feeding programs in Visayas. The Malaskit Team served meals at Vicente Sotto Medical Center and Cebu City Medical Center in Cebu City. They also organized in other cities in Cebu, including Cebu South Medical Center in Talisay City, Eversley Childs Sanitarium General Hospital in Mandaue City, and Lapu-Lapu City District Hospital.
In other parts of the Visayas, Go’s Malasakit Team served meals in the Western Visayas Sanitarium and General Hospital in Sta. Barbara, Don Jose S. Monfort Medical Center in Barotac Nuevo, and West Visayas State University in Iloilo City, all in Iloilo.
Lastly, in Mindanao, the Malasakit Team organized a feeding program at Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City.
As the chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Senator Bong Go, who has been a vocal advocate for improved healthcare services and support for underprivileged Filipinos, stated that the decision to continue and expand the feeding program was driven by his observations of the challenges encountered by patients and their watchers in hospitals.
“Many of our kababayans, especially those from the provinces, travel great distances to access medical services. Unfortunately, the financial burden of transportation and medical expenses often leaves them with little to no resources for their basic needs, such as food,” he explained.
“It’s a gesture of support and compassion for our fellow Filipinos facing health crises. We want to ensure that while they are in the hospital, worrying about their health or the health of their loved ones, they won’t have to worry about going hungry,” he continued.
The feeding program aims to provide immediate relief to these individuals, ensuring they do not go hungry while waiting for hospital medical services.
The initiative has been met with positive responses from beneficiaries and hospital administrators alike, who have noted the significant impact of the program on patient and watcher morale. By addressing the immediate need for sustenance, the program supports physical health and uplifts the spirits of those enduring difficult times in hospitals.
Malasakit Centers are one-stop shops established to streamline access to medical assistance programs provided by the government for indigent patients.
A brainchild of Bong Go, the Malasakit Centers program was institutionalized through the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which he principally sponsored and authored in the Senate to help indigent patients with their medical expenses.
Currently, 159 operational centers have helped more than ten million Filipinos nationwide.
As the program continues to roll out, Senator Bong Go reaffirmed his commitment to enhancing healthcare services and support mechanisms for all Filipinos, particularly the underprivileged. “This feeding program is just one of the many steps we are taking to ensure that no Filipino is left behind in our journey towards a healthier and more compassionate society,” he concluded.
