The country’s 76th Malasakit Center, the second in the province and 38th in Luzon, was formally launched at the Dr. Paulino J. Garcia Memorial Research and Medical Center in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija.
Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, chairman of the Senate health and demography committee, attended the launch virtually via Zoom yesterday.
Go, the brains behind the Malasakit center concept, said the facility will be of great help for many Filipinos especially at this time inasmuch as it is a one-stop-shop that could help expedite medical and financial assistance to patients.
Go said Filipinos who need medical and financial assistance need only to fill up one form in the Malasakit Center in a streamlined process.
A special lane is also provided specifically for senior citizens and persons with disabilities.
Concerned agencies housed in these centers are the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
“Gusto ko talagang pumunta diyan, sa totoo lang pero medyo marami pa kasing bawal. Sunod lang muna tayo sa health and safety protocols. Babalik po ako d’yan. Pupuntahan ko po kayo kapag pwede na upang mapakinggan ang inyong hinaing. Palagi pong bukas ang aming opisina para tumulong at magserbisyo sa inyo (Truth be told, I really want to go there, but there are still restrictions. Let’s just follow health and safety protocols for now. I will go there. I will go there if already allowed to personally listen to your concerns. My office is open and ready to help and serve you),’’ Go explained.
With the enactment of the Republic Act (RA) 11463, known as the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, all hospitals run by the DOH all over the country and the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in Manila are now mandated to establish their own Malasakit Centers.
Meanwhile, hospitals run by local government units (LGUs) and other public hospitals may also establish their own Malasakit Centers provided they meet a standard set of criteria and guarantee the availability of funds for the operation of their centers.