Right after he attended the launch of the 156th Malasakit Center in the country, Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography Christopher “Bong” Go personally inspected the Super Health Center in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan on Monday, March 6.
In his speech, Go vowed that he will remain committed to bolstering the country’s health sector as he cited that he will continue to develop and support more health measures to ensure Filipinos, especially those in marginalized areas, get the medical services that they need.
“Patuloy pa rin po ang adbokasiya ko na palakasin pa lalo ang ating health sector. Karagdagang Super Health Center, health facilities, specialty centers — ayan po ang mga patuloy kong isusulong bilang inyong Chair ng Senate Committee on Health,” reassured Go.
“Nais ko naman pasalamatan ang Department of Health at ang lahat ng local officials, kasama na dito si Mayor Arturo Robes, Vice Mayor Efren Bartolome, Jr., Congresswoman Rida Robes at mga kapwa namin mambabatas, sa inyong pagtutulungan upang mabuo itong Super Health Center sa inyong siyudad,” he acknowledged.
“Tayong mga nasa gobyerno, magtulungan tayo para mailapit sa tao ang serbisyong kailangan nila para hindi na sila mahirapan pa,” he added.
Through the help of fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds had been allocated under the 2022 Health Facilities Enhancement Program of the DOH for the construction of some 307 Super Health Centers. As Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go was likewise successful in pushing for additional funds under the 2023 budget to support the construction of 322 more SHCs in other parts of the country.
These centers aim to provide basic health services, such as 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 center; and telemedicine, where remote diagnosis and treatment of patients will be done.
Apart from the Super Health Center in the city, Go also supported the construction of more SHCs in Meycauayan City and in the towns of Balagtas, Bulakan, San Miguel, Guiguinto, Angat, Baliuag, Marilao, Obando, Paombong, Plaridel, San Ildefonso, San Rafael and Pandi — the last one he personally inspected last December.
“Ang Super Health Center po, mas maliit lang sa hospital, mas malaki po sa Rural Health Unit. It’s a medium type of polyclinic, nasa loob na ho ‘yung panganganak, birthing facilities, nandiriyan rin po ang laboratory, dental, isolation at iba pang mga pang-emergency cases. Hindi na kailangang itakbo ang pasyente sa malalayong lugar,” cited Go.
“Minsan sa sobrang layo ng hospital, nanganganak na sa kotse o sa tricycle, ‘di ba? Ngayon po pwede nang dalahin doon sa Super Health Center ninyo,” he added.
Earlier that day, right after the launch of the 156th Malasakit Center at Ospital ng Lungsod ng San Jose del Monte, Go also led a relief operation for the hospital’s employees and patients.
The idea of the Malasakit Centers program started after Go witnessed the struggles of financially incapacitated Filipinos to get quality health services. The program was later institutionalized under Republic Act No. 11463, which he principally authored and sponsored in the Senate.
“Ako naman, matulungan po ‘yung mga poor and indigent patients po, ‘yung mga walang matakbuhan, ‘yung mga helpless, ‘yung mga hopeless. Iyon po ang dapat nating unahin, iyon po ang kini-cater ng Malasakit Centers,” he highlighted.
“Kami naman masaya na po kami na nakatulong sa abot ng aming makakaya, makabigay ng solusyon sa problema ninyo, at makapag-iwan ng kaunting ngiti sa panahon ng inyong pagdadalamhati. Masaya po kami na masaya rin po kayo,” reassured Go.
After he inspected the Super Health Center, the senator also took his time to visit and inspect the city’s Convention Center — a project of which he supported its funding during the previous administration.
To ensure the city’s progress amid the health crisis, Go also supported the construction of several multipurpose buildings, flood control structures, and the Criminology Building in San Jose del Monte City College.
“Minsan lang po tayo dadaan sa mundong ito. Kung ano pong kabutihan o tulong na pwede nating gawin sa ating kapwa ay gawin na po natin ngayon dahil hindi na po tayo babalik sa mundong ito. Ginawa n’yo pong pangulo si (dating) pangulong (Rodrigo) Duterte sa anim na taon, ako po inyong senador ay patuloy po akong magseserbisyo sa inyo dahil ako po ay naniniwala, kami na lingkod bayan ninyo, ang serbisyo po sa tao, serbiyo po ‘yan sa Diyos,” ended Go.
Go concluded his day in Bulacan by spearheading another distribution activity at the city’s Convention Center for a thousand struggling Bulakeños.