Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, adopted son of Nueva Ecija, lauded the Department of Health and the local government of Rizal town, led by Mayor Hanna Katrina Andres, for soft launching its Super Health Center on Thursday, March 14.
Go cited that this event marks a considerable leap forward in the government’s ongoing efforts to enhance healthcare services and accessibility for all Filipinos, particularly in less urbanized areas.
The Super Health Center in Rizal, Nueva Ecija, is a health facility designed to offer primary medical services, including outpatient consultations, laboratory tests, dental services, and much more. This initiative aims to bridge the gap in healthcare access between rural and urban areas, ensuring that quality medical services are within reach of every Filipino, regardless of location.
Senator Go, head of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, emphasized the importance of the Super Health Center’s role in the community. “Mga kababayan ko, isa sa priority ko ay ito pong Super Health Center. Ano po ang Super Health Center? It’s a medium type of a polyclinic. Mas maliit lang po sa ospital, mas malaki sa Rural Health Unit. Pwede po diyan ‘yung panganganak, dental, laboratory, x-ray at ite-turn over po ito sa LGUs. Sa tulong ng DOH at mga kasamahan ko sa Kongreso, naisakatuparan po itong mga Super Health Center,” Go expressed.
“Iyan po ang itatayong mga Super Health Center para ilapit po natin ‘yung serbisyo medikal sa ating mga kababayan,” he highlighted.
Through the collective efforts of the Department of Health (DOH), led by Secretary Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa, local government units, and fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds have been allocated under the DOH for the construction of 307 Super Health Centers in 2022, 322 in 2023, and 132 in 2024.
As the lead implementing agency, DOH identified the nine strategic areas where these Super Health Centers will be established in the province. On the next day, March 15, Go personally inspected the one in Science City of Muñoz.
Meanwhile, Go’s Malasakit Team provided balls for basketball and volleyball to select residents in the area.
Senator Go also took the opportunity to highlight the success of the Malasakit Centers program, another flagship initiative he has initiated. Malasakit Centers are one-stop shops located in qualified hospitals across the country, designed to make it easier for indigent patients to avail themselves of medical assistance programs from the government. These centers consolidate the process of seeking support, making it more efficient and less burdensome for the beneficiaries.
Malasakit Centers in the province are located at Eduardo L. Joson Memorial Hospital, Dr. Paulino J. Garcia Memorial Research and Medical Center (PJGMRMC) in Cabanatuan City, and Talavera General Hospital in Talavera. Currently, 161 Malasakit Centers nationwide have helped more than ten million Filipinos.
Moreover, Go is the principal sponsor and one of the authors of Republic Act 11959 or the Regional Specialty Centers Act. The law mandates the establishment of Regional Specialty Centers within existing DOH regional hospitals.
There are specialty centers inside PJGMRMC that provide burn, trauma, and eye care. Other specialty centers, such as cardiovascular care, renal and transplant care, lung care, orthopedic care, mental health, neonatal care, cancer care, geriatric care, and dermatology care, will also be established inside the said hospital.
