Bong Go attends groundbreaking of Super Health Center in Mambajao town in Camiguin; provides assistance to various sectoral groups

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go attended the groundbreaking of the Super Health Center in Mambajao town in Camiguin on Wednesday, January 18, vowing to continue his advocacy to improve access to the country’s healthcare system and establish more health facilities that would significantly benefit Filipinos, particularly the poor and those in far-flung areas.

Go said that he is hopeful that more poor Filipinos will be able to access needed quality healthcare through Super Health Centers which will be placed in strategic locations throughout the country, especially in rural areas.

“Ang Super Health Center ay isang medium (version) ng polyclinic. Mas malaki lang ito sa rural health center at mas maliit lang siya sa ospital. Mayroong mga dental services, birthing (services) — panganganak dahil aking napansin noon, ang mga buntis kailangan pang dalhin sa mga malalayong ospital. Minsan manganganak na lang sa tricycle, sa jeep, o taxi,” mentioned Go.

“Ngayon po, mayroong Super Health Center na ilalagay sa mga strategic areas. So, itong Super Health Center ay para sa ating mga kababayan na nasa malalayong lugar para makakatulong talaga sa basic health services,” he added.

The senator was instrumental in pushing for the budget for the establishment of Super Health Centers nationwide. Some 307 SHCs were funded in 2022 through Go’s initiative. He likewise committed his continued support for the establishment of more SHCs in the country as he has earlier successfully pushed for sufficient funds for the centers in this year’s Health Facilities Enhancement Program of the Department of Health.

Super Health Centers offer health services including 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 Mambajao, a Super Health Center will also be established in Guinsiliban town. Its groundbreaking was also conducted this week.

Following the event, Go and his team also distributed assistance to various sectoral groups in the town. His team mounted the distribution activities at the Camiguin convention center in Mambajao where they handed out grocery packs, vitamins, shirts, masks and snacks to 500 struggling residents.

They also gave away bicycles, shoes, cellular phones, and balls for basketball and volleyball to select individuals.

Meanwhile, representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development provided separate financial aid to the residents as part of its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations program.

As Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Go also offered additional assistance to those in need of medical care. Should they need help settling their hospital bills, he advised them to visit the nearest Malasakit Center at the Camiguin General Provincial Hospital which was launched on the same day and was witnessed by Go. The said Malasakit Center is the 154th in the country.

Other nearby Malasakit Centers are located at the Northern Mindanao Medical Center and J.R. Borja General Hospital in Cagayan de Oro City.

The Malasakit Center brings together the offices of the DSWD, DOH, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office to reduce a patient’s hospital bill to the lowest amount possible by covering various patient services and expenses.

“Hindi niyo na po kailangang bumiyahe para pumila sa iba’t ibang opisina para makahingi ng tulong mula sa gobyerno. Kung may hospital bill kayo, ilapit niyo lang ‘to sa Malasakit Center. Wala itong pinipili. Basta poor at indigent patient ka, qualified ka,” assured Go, who primarily authored and sponsored Republic Act No. 11463 or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019.

“Hindi niyo na kailangang mahirapan dahil sa totoo lang, pera niyo naman ‘yan. Binabalik lang ito sa inyo sa pamamagitan ng mabilis at maayos na serbisyo mula sa Malasakit Centers,” he added.

Aside from the groundbreaking of the Super Health Center in Mambajao and the launching of the Malasakit Center at the Camiguin General Provincial Hospital, Go also visited projects which he previously advocated for in Catarman town on the same day.

To help increase economic opportunities and boost Camiguin’s development, Go, as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, has supported the construction of a two-story multipurpose building and two-story isolation unit/evacuation center in Guinsiliban; acquisition of an ambulance unit and a dump truck for the local government of Mahinog; and the construction of an evacuation center in Sagay.