BEFORE joining the Sinulog Festivities, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, showed his support and ‘malasakit’ for patients and frontliners during his monitoring visit to the Malasakit Center at Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) in Cebu City on Sunday, January 19.
During the activity, Go and his Malasakit Team distributed grocery packs, shirts, and snacks to hospital workers. They also gave away basketballs and volleyballs to select beneficiaries. In addition, a feeding program was conducted, providing meals to patients and healthcare workers. Some families of the patients likewise received fare allowances from Senator Go.
A poignant moment during the visit was when a grieving mother, Alita Bacunador, who had recently lost her child to osteosarcoma, expressed her heartfelt gratitude to Go for the Malasakit Center’s support during their family’s most challenging times.
The senator underscored the importance of the continuing operations of Malasakit Centers to ensure the effective delivery of medical aid to the most financially disadvantaged and impoverished residents.
“As chairman ng Committee on Health, priority ko talaga itong Malasakit Center para mayroon kayong nalalapitan sa inyong pagpapaospital. Nandito na ang apat na ahensya ng gobyerno, ang PhilHealth, PCSO, DOH, at DSWD na tutulong sa inyong pagpapaospital. Lapitan niyo yang Malasakit Center. Para yan sa Pilipino, pagmamay-ari niyo yang Malasakit Center. Para yan sa inyo,” Go said.
The Malasakit Centers program is a brainchild of Go, designed to streamline medical assistance programs to facilitate the provision of healthcare services to all Filipinos.
Under Republic Act No. 11463, which Go principally authored and sponsored, every Department of Health-run hospital, plus the Philippine General Hospital in Manila City, is mandated to have its own Malasakit Center. Other public hospitals may also have a Malasakit Center upon assessment by the DOH to ensure they meet the criteria provided in the law.
There are now 166 operational centers across the country which have assisted over 15 million Filipinos, according to the DOH.
Other Malasakit Centers in the province are available at Lapu-Lapu City District Hospital, Eversley Childs Sanitarium and General Hospital in Mandaue City, Talisay District Hospital in Talisay City, and Cebu City Medical Center and St. Anthony Mother & Child Hospital, both in Cebu City.
Moreover, Go said that the DOH has identified areas for the establishment of 21 Super Health Centers in the province. Through collaborative efforts of Senator Go, fellow legislators, Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa, and LGUs, funding has been secured for the establishment of more than 600 Super Health Centers nationwide and about 100 more this year.
Super Health Centers offer database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy, and ambulatory surgical unit. Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service; oncology centers; physical therapy and rehabilitation centers; and telemedicine.
“Ito ay paraan para mailapit ang pangunahing serbisyo medikal sa mga Pilipinong nangangailangan nito lalo na sa mga probinsya at malalayong lugar. Iyan ang hangarin ng mga itinatayong Super Health Centers na aking sinusuportahang mailunsad sa iba’t ibang parte ng bansa,” he explained.
During his visit, Go acknowledged Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Neri Garcia, Vice Mayor Dondon Hontiveros, and other local officials for their dedicated service to their constituents.
The senator also commended all VSMMC staff, led by Medical Chief Dr. Gerardo M. Aquino Jr. Meanwhile, Dr. Jose Chan, Medical Chief of Northern Mindanao Medical Center, was also present during the event.
On the same day, Senator Go participated in the inauguration of the Super Health Center in Moalboal, Cebu, and joined the festivities at the Sinulog Festival held at Cebu City Sports Complex.
