BONG GO’S TEAM HELPS COMMUNITIES IN DISTRESS IN CALUMPIT, BULACAN

Bong Go’s team helps communities in distress in Calumpit, Bulacan

The Office of Senator Christopher “Bong” Go conducted a relief activity in Calumpit, Bulacan on Thursday, March 23, for residents who are still coping with the ongoing pandemic and other challenges confronting the country.

The distribution activity was held at the municipal covered court where 300 disadvantaged Bulakeños received snacks, masks, and shirts from Go’s team while select individuals received cellular phones, shoes, and balls for basketball.

Moreover, personnel from the Department of Social Welfare and Development handed out financial assistance under its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program in a separate distribution.

Go, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, also advised the families who have health concerns to take advantage of the services offered in the Malasakit Centers inside 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.

Primarily authored and sponsored by Go, the Malasakit Centers Act provides for one-stop shops where particularly poor and indigent patients may conveniently avail medical assistance from agencies, such as the DSWD, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

There are now 156 Malasakit Centers nationwide which have assisted over seven million Filipinos, according to DOH.

Furthermore, Go said that having Super Health Centers nationwide, especially in rural areas, can significantly improve the delivery of public health services in the grassroots, citing that these centers are aimed to bring the government closer to Filipinos.

“Isinulong ko po talaga ang pagpapatayo ng mga Super Health Centers sa buong Pilipinas dahil alam ko po kung gaano kailangan na mapalapit sa tao ang serbisyong medikal ng gobyerno,” said Go.

In 2022, DOH identified the cities of San Jose del Monte, Meycauayan and Baliuag, and the towns of Balagtas, Bulakan, San Miguel, Guiguinto and Pandi where Super Health Centers will be constructed. In 2023, more Super Health Centers were funded to be built in Baliuag City, and in the towns of Angat, Marilao, Obando, Paombong, Plaridel, San Ildefonso and San Rafael.

Super Health Centers offer basic health services, including database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, 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.

Through the efforts of fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds had been allocated under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program of the DOH for 307 Super Health Centers in 2022 and 322 SHCs in 2023. DOH, the lead implementing agency, identifies the strategic areas where SHCs will be constructed.

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.

Last March 6, the senator also personally led a relief operation for more indigents in San Jose del Monte City. Go also inspected the operations of the Malasakit Center in RMMMH on March 21.