SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go, Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, personally inspected the Super Health Center in Taytay, Rizal, on Sunday, February 11. The inspection is right after he also inspected the Taytay Sports Complex, another project he advocated for as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance.
During his visit, Go was accompanied by Governor Nina Ynares, Vice Governor Reynaldo “Junrey” San Juan, Mayor Allan de Leon, Vice Mayor Pia Cabral, and Taytay councilors.
This Super Health Center is set to bring primary healthcare services closer to the residents of Taytay and its neighboring areas, emphasizing early disease detection by providing medical consultations and basic healthcare services, especially in communities needing adequate medical facilities.
Senator Go underscored the importance of the Super Health Center in improving the accessibility of quality healthcare services. “Ang kagandahan nitong early disease detection ay magagamit ito sa pagbigay ng primary care at pagkokonsulta, and it will help decongest the hospitals dahil pwede na pong gamutin dito. At ilalagay po ito sa mga strategic areas. Ilalagay nila sa isang barangay kung saan po makaka-access ‘yung mga kababayan natin,” said Senator Go.
The Super Health Center is a healthcare facility equipped with adequate medical equipment and staffed by qualified healthcare professionals. It aims to serve as a primary care provider for the community, focusing on mitigating diseases before they escalate into more severe health issues.
The center will offer various services, including database management, outpatient care, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray and ultrasound), pharmacy, and an ambulatory surgical unit. Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service, oncology centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation centers, and telemedicine, making remote patient diagnosis and treatment possible.
Furthermore, free consultations at the Super Health Center will be facilitated through the collaborative efforts of DOH, led by Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, municipal health offices, local government units (LGUs), and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) under its Konsulta program. According to Go, this initiative is part of the government’s effort to make healthcare more accessible and affordable for all Filipinos.
“Naisipan ko po itong Super Health Center noong 2021. Naumpisahan po ito noong 2022. Sa kakaikot ko po sa buong Pilipinas, marami pong mga munisipyo o bayan o syudad sa malalayong lugar na wala pong mga Super Health Center. ‘Yung mga buntis nanganak po sa tricycle, sa jeepney dahil napakalayo po ng mga hospital. Ngayon po inilapit natin through these Super Health Center,” Go shared in an interview on the same day.
“Dito na kayo magpakonsulta. Hindi nila kailangan bumyahe papunta ng hospital. Minor cases dito na po (pwedeng) gamutin. Alam naman natin ang Taytay (ay isang) populated area, halos dikit dikit po ang mga bahay dito. Dito sa loob ng Super Health Center ninyo, (pwede) dito na yung mga pangaanganak. Dito na po yung konsulta para early disease detection, (para) hindi lumala yung sakit, magpa-check-up (kayo dito). Isang paraan po ito na ilapit natin sa mga kababayan yung serbisyo medikal mula gobyerno,” he added.
Apart from Taytay, Super Health Centers are also founded in 11 other strategic areas in the province.
During his visit, Go’s Malasakit Team also gave away snacks and grocery packs to some residents, barangay, and municipal health workers.
Senator Go also took the opportunity to highlight the ongoing support for other health initiatives, such as the Malasakit Centers program, which is celebrating its 6th anniversary this February.
The Malasakit Centers program is a flagship project of Senator Go, aimed at streamlining access to the government’s medical assistance programs for indigent patients.
To date, there are 159 Malasakit Centers nationwide, including those at Antipolo City Hospital System Annex IV, Casimiro A. Ynares Sr. Memorial Hospital in Rodriguez, Bagong Cainta Municipal Hospital, and Margarito A. Duavit Memorial Hospital in Binangonan, that have helped around ten million indigent patients, according to the Department of Health.
Wrapping up his day, Go, an adopted son of CALABARZON, also personally joined the week-long HAMAKA festival in Taytay. The term “Hamaka” is derived from an abbreviation of three words: “HA” represents “Hamba,” which refers to woodworks; “MA” stands for “Makina,” meaning the sewing machine; and finally, “KA” signifies “Kasuotan,” which translates to clothing.
Last February 9, Go was in Morong, where he inspected the town’s public market which he also advocated for and assisted struggling residents. He was also honored as an adopted son of the town.
