The country’s 82nd Malasakit Center opened Friday, September 11, at the Southern Isabela Medical Center in Santiago City, Isabela.
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, in his speech given through a video call, explained that Malasakit Centers were one-stop shops that host concerned government agencies with programs that provide financial and medical assistance to Filipino patients, particularly the poor and indigent.
These agencies are the Department of Health (DoH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
“Lapitan ninyo lang ang Malasakit Centers para sa mga pangangailangan ninyong pangkalusugan. Para po ito sa lahat ng mga Pilipino, lalo na ang mga mahihirap na nangangailangan ng tulong sa pampagamot. Sisiguraduhin natin na pagdating sa serbisyo mula sa gobyerno, sila ang ating uunahin palagi,” he added.
The newest Malasakit Center was the second so far in Isabela, and the third in Region 2.
Go also called for special attention to the community’s most vulnerable members and urged authorities to prioritize the welfare of poor and indigent patients. “Ang Malasakit Center po ay walang pulitika, basta Pilipino ka, lalo na kung poor and indigent patient ka, qualified ka po sa Malasakit Center,” said Go.
“Isa lang po ang ipinagbibilin ko at pakiusap ko sa ating health workers natin diyan, sa mga doctors, administrator ng ospital, unahin po natin ‘yung mga mahihirap at mga wala pong ibang matakbuhan, ito po ‘yung panahon na hirap na hirap na sila at humihingi ng tulong. Unahin natin at palaging protektahan ang kapakanan nila,” he continued.
The Malasakit Centers Act of 2019 was signed into law by President Duterte last December 3, 2019, which sought to make all existing government medical and financial assistance programs easily accessible by putting together the concerned agencies under one roof.
Go also called for cooperation with the government’s investigation into the allegations of widespread corruption in PhilHealth to ensure conviction of culprits and improved services for all Filipinos.
The senator also took the opportunity to thank the medical frontliners for their sacrifices and vowed full government support for the nation’s health sector.
“Salamat po sa inyong pagseserbisyo sa inyong mga kababayan. Kayo po talaga ‘yung hero ngayong panahon na 'to... Kami po ni Pangulong Duterte ay full support po dito sa inyo at sa abot po ng aming makakaya ay tutulong po kami. Ang importante po ay ‘wag natin pababayaan ang ating mga kababayan,” Go said.
Go had earlier also pushed for the immediate implementation of a Supreme Court decision to finally increase the minimum salary grade of government nurses eighteen years after a law providing such increase was enacted.
“Lalo na ngayon na nasa gitna tayo ng isang pandemya, lahat ng tulong na maibibigay natin sa ating healthworkers ay ibigay na natin ngayon. Isa rin itong pagkilala at pasasalamat sa kanilang dakilang sakripisyo para sa bayan,” the senator previously said.
He also called for the full implementation of the Universal Health Care Act and asked Congress to provide and ensure sufficient funding for healthcare in the 2021 budget to help Filipinos access quality medical services especially amid the pandemic.