BONG GO PROVIDES AID TO HUNDREDS OF INDIGENTS IN BRAULIO E. DUJALI, DAVAO DEL NORTE WHILE PUSHING FOR BETTER HEALTHCARE SYSTEM AT THE GRASSROOTS

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, reaffirmed his commitment to providing accessible healthcare and support for the poor as his Malasakit Team visited Braulio E. Dujali, Davao del Norte, on Thursday, December 5.

The event at the municipal gymnasium, organized in collaboration with the office of Mayor Leah Marie Romano, aimed to deliver aid to hundreds of indigent residents while highlighting the critical role of Malasakit Centers in ensuring that no Filipino is left behind when it comes to healthcare.

Go’s Malasakit Team gave shirts, snacks, and vitamins to all 500 indigents, while there were select recipients of shoes, mobile phones, and a watch.

Financial assistance was also provided by the government to ease the burden of the most vulnerable members of the community.

Go expressed his gratitude to the local government of Braulio E. Dujali for their collaboration in reaching out to those in need. He emphasized the importance of extending government resources to underserved communities, especially the poor, the sick, and those with limited means.

“Mga kababayan, ang Malasakit Center ay ginawa para sa inyong pangangailangan, lalo na sa mga mahihirap na walang matakbuhan,” said Go. “Patuloy kong isusulong ang inyong kapakanan, at ang tuluy-tuloy na operasyon ng Malasakit Centers sa buong bansa upang mas marami pa ang matulungan.”

As a health reforms crusader, Go principally authored and sponsored Republic Act No. 11463, or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which institutionalized one-stop shops for government medical assistance programs. These centers consolidate services from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to make healthcare assistance more accessible to poor and indigent patients.

Currently, there are 166 Malasakit Centers nationwide that already assisted more than 15 million Filipinos.

In his message, Go also highlighted the significance of continuously improving public health services, especially in the face of rising healthcare challenges. He called on local leaders and concerned agencies to strengthen their efforts in delivering accessible and affordable medical services.

“Patuloy akong magseserbisyo sa inyo dahil bisyo ko ang magserbisyo at ako ay naniniwala na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo ‘yan sa Panginoon, serbisyo ‘yan kay Allah,” emphasized Go, known as Mr. Malasakit for his compassionate brand of service.