SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go commended Quezon City Councilor Mikey Belmonte for the successful organization of a medical mission aimed at aiding the residents of Quezon City on Sunday, February 4.
According to Go, as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, the event, which was held to provide essential medical services to the community, resonated with the senator’s longstanding advocacy of making government services more accessible to Filipinos.
The medical mission was held at the Doña Aurora covered court in Barangay Payatas, where approximately a thousand residents benefitted.
Go’s Malasakit Team provided basketball and volleyball balls and shirts to select individuals. As Chair of the Senate Committee on Sports, Go continues to promote grassroots sports development as he urges the youth to get into sports, stay away from drugs to keep healthy and fit.
Meanwhile, as the Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Senator Go has been at the forefront of championing health-related causes and policies to bring public health closer to communities. His support for the medical mission underscores his commitment to fostering a closer relationship between the government and its citizens, particularly in facilitating access to healthcare services.
Senator Go remarked, “Efforts like the medical mission organized by Councilor Belmonte are crucial in bringing the government closer to the people. Through these acts of service, we can truly make a difference in the lives of our citizens, especially those in need of medical attention.”
The senator also emphasized his ongoing support for various health initiatives. Among the critical programs he continues to pursue is the continued operations of the Malasakit Centers aimed at streamlining access to medical assistance from the government for indigent patients.
Go, principal sponsor and author of Republic Act No. 11463, or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, has helped around ten million poor patients, according to the Department of Health (DOH), and established 159 Malasakit Centers nationwide.
Malasakit Centers in Quezon City are located at the Lung Center of the Philippines, Novaliches District Hospital, Philippine Heart Center, Philippine Children’s Medical Center, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, East Avenue Medical Center (EAMC), Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC), Philippine Orthopedic Center, National Children’s Hospital, Philippine National Police General Hospital, and Quirino Memorial Medical Center (QMMC).
Moreover, Senator Go advocated for constructing more Super Health Centers nationwide. These centers are envisioned to enhance the availability of basic healthcare services, thereby elevating the quality of medical care accessible to Filipinos. In Quezon City alone, funds have been allocated to construct Super Health Centers in six barangays.
Through the collective efforts of fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds have been allocated for 307 Super Health Centers in 2022, 322 in 2023, and 132 in 2024. The lead implementing agency, the Department of Health (DOH), under the direction of Secretary Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa, determines the strategic locations for its construction.
Another critical area of focus for Senator Go is the establishment of more Regional Specialty Centers, particularly in underserved regions. As the principal sponsor and one of the authors of RA 11959 or the Regional Specialty Centers Act, the new law seeks to create Regional Specialty Centers within existing regional hospitals under the DOH to bring specialized healthcare to all regions.
To further improve the city’s infrastructure and development, Go, Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, supported the construction of multipurpose buildings, road rehabilitation, installing streetlights, drainage improvement, and flood control structures in several barangays.
He also supported the repair of Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center Road Network and the acquisition of an ambulance, a dump truck, and four multicabs. Lastly, he also helped secure funding for the vertical expansion of a new emergency building at the Philippine Heart Center and EAMC.
Go helped secure the funds for the Philippine Orthopedic Center to construct the rehabilitation building and acquire medical equipment. Lastly, Go also supported the construction of the Nurses’ Home and some hospital improvements for VMMC.
On the previous day, Go’s Malasakit Team also assisted 78 newlywed couples during the Kasalang Bayan, which Councilor Belmonte also organized.
