DANILO Enterio did not expect to go this far, a resident of Bunawan, Agusan del Sur. He was diagnosed with liver inflammation after the sudden onset of symptoms in 2023.
According to Danilo, there was a big chance he wouldn’t be telling his story today had it not been for a flight he and his daughter, Marilou Enterio dela Cruz, took from Davao City to Manila, where they met Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, the father of the Malasakit Center Program.
Marilou, overwhelmed by the struggle to manage her father’s care and the mounting costs, shared her family’s ordeal with Go during the trip. Danilo recalled how, in desperation, he could not stop his daughter from approaching the senator.
“Nung panahon na ‘yun, March 15, nagkasabayan kami ni Senator Bong Go sa eroplano. At doon nag-usap sila ng aking anak at doon na kami nagkwentuhan pagbaba na sa Manila airport,” Danilo said.
Danilo described to Go his initial symptoms as acute and alarming.
“Bigla na lang sumakit ang tiyan ko at nagdumi ng dugo. Ang finding ng doctor ay namaga daw ang atay ko,” Danilo explained, stressing the gravity of his condition and the financial burden it imposed. His hospital bills soared to almost half a million pesos.
When the father and daughter reached the Taguig Pateros District Hospital in Taguig City, where Marilou is based, the Malasakit Center stepped in to provide support to cover all outstanding medical bills and daily sustenance.
“Sobrang saya ko dahil tinulungan n’ya ako sa problema ko doon sa Malasakit Center. Dahil kay Senator Bong Go, nalampasan ko ang problema ko,” Danilo expressed his gratitude for the senator’s intervention.
Marilou’s account echoed her father’s sentiments, especially her emotional response to the aid they received.
“Nagtatalon-talon ako sa tuwa na ano, hindi ako makapaniwala. Sabi ko, ‘Thank you, Lord. Alam ko, hindi mo ako bibiguin. ‘Yung guard sabi sa akin, magpasalamat kayo doon sa ano ng Malasakit,” she shared.
“Sobrang tuwa ko na gusto kong himatayin sa ano na hindi ko ma-explain kung totoo ba ‘yung nakikita ko na siya talaga. Thank you po sa Malasakit, senator,” she conveyed during their poignant encounter.
Malasakit Centers are one-stop shops that aim to support impoverished patients in reducing their hospital costs to the least possible amount. Go is the principal author and sponsor of Republic Act No. 11463, or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program.
Currently, 165 Malasakit Centers are operational nationwide, poised to assist with patients’ medical expenses. The DOH reports that the Malasakit Center program has already provided aid to more or less ten million Filipinos.
Through their testimonials, both Danilo and Marilou underscore the life-changing assistance provided by the Malasakit Centers, affirming Go’s commitment to accessible healthcare for all Filipinos.
“Naisalba niyo po ‘yung stress ko sa tatay ko na nadugtungan din ‘yung buhay niya. Thank you, thank you po, Senator Bong Go. I love you so much po,” Marilou concluded, a powerful endorsement of the senator’s work.
This story not only reflects the critical role of Malasakit Centers in alleviating medical and financial hardships but also highlights Go’s vision of a compassionate and responsive healthcare system where no Filipino is left behind.
“Wala pong masasayang na panahon sa akin. Magta-trabaho po ako para sa Pilipino dahil bisyo ko ang magserbisyo. Naniniwala po ako na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo sa Diyos,” Go pledged, reinforcing his dedication to the Filipino people being known as Mr. Malasakit.
