Bong Go advocates for more Super Health Centers nationwide as he aids indigents in Plaridel, Bulacan

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, an advocate for public health, continues to promote the establishment of more Super Health Centers in strategic areas to alleviate the strain on hospitals nationwide and to bring essential health services from the government closer to the people.

In a video message during his team’s relief effort in Plaridel, Bulacan on Tuesday, June 20, Go explained, “Ang Super Health Center is a medium type of a polyclinic. Mas maliit po sa hospital, mas malaki po sa rural health unit, kung saan po ay pwede magpagamot at mga basic services tulad ng panganganak, dental, laboratory at iba pa.”

Through the collective efforts of fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds had been allocated for 307 Super Health Centers in 2022 and 322 in 2023.

The Department of Health, as the lead implementing agency, identifies the strategic locations for the construction of such centers, including in the town of Plaridel.

Go added that these centers will be turned over to the local government unit upon construction, saying, “Pwede i-expand yan ng LGU pagdating ng panahon. Kung gusto niyong lagyan ng dialysis machine, pwede po lagyan ng dialysis center.”

“Alam nyo po, sa kakaikot ko sa Pilipinas, madalas ang mga 4th class, 5th class, 6th class municipalities ang walang health center… Ngayon, sisikapin nating magkaroon na sila ng Super Health Center at tutulong ito ma-decongest ang mga ospital. Hindi niyo na rin kailangan pa bumyahe ng malayo para magpagamot sa ospital kung mayroon nang Super Health Center sa lugar niyo,” he continued.

Services offered in Super Health Centers include database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray and ultrasound), pharmacy and ambulatory surgical unit. Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service, oncology centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation center and telemedicine, where remote diagnosis and treatment of patients will be done.

Apart from Plaridel, there will be other Super Health Centers set to be established in the cities of Baliuag, Meycauayan, and San Jose del Monte; and the towns of Angat, Balagtas, Bulakan, Pandi, San Miguel, Guiguinto, Marilao, Obando, Paombong, San Ildefonso, and San Rafael.

The distribution activity was held at the municipal covered court where 500 struggling Bulakeños were given assistance, such as masks, snacks, vitamins, and shirts. Select beneficiaries also received shoes, and balls for basketball and volleyball.

Continuing his message, Go encouraged Bulakeños with health concerns to seek the services of the Malasakit Centers located at Bulacan Medical Center in Malolos City, Rogaciano M. Mercado Memorial Hospital (RMMMH) in Sta. Maria, and Ospital ng Lungsod ng San Jose del Monte in San Jose del Monte City.

Principally authored and sponsored by Go in the Senate, the Malasakit Centers program brings together all concerned agencies to provide particularly poor and indigent patients convenient access to the government’s medical assistance programs.

As Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go also supported several initiatives to help in the province’s development. These include the rehabilitation of the Bulacan State University Activity Center and construction of a multipurpose building in Malolos City, construction of drainages, provision of medical equipment for local hospitals, improvement of the Pandi District Hospital, concreting of a farm-to-market road in San Ildefonso, and many more.

The following day, Go visited San Rafael town were he attended the groundbreaking of its Super Health Center and personally provided assistance to more indigents. Simultaneously, his team was in Bustos and mounted another relief effort more struggling Bulakeños.