Senator Bong Go (Senate PRIB)

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go has underscored the need to establish regional specialty centers nationwide as a way to address the limited access to specialized healthcare services outside Metro Manila and ensure equitable access to quality and affordable healthcare for all Filipinos.

In his sponsorship speech on the Senate floor for Senate Bill (SB) No.2212, which seeks to establish specialty centers throughout the country, Go highlighted the need to bring specialized medical services closer to the people, unburdening them of long travels and additional expenses.

“While the government has consistently strived to improve medical access, the reality remains that access to hospitals providing specialized healthcare services is still limited. Almost all specialty hospitals are located in Metro Manila,” Go, chairman of the Senate committee on health, said.

Sadly, according to Go, some individuals opt not to seek medical attention due to fear of the high hospital bills, leading to avoidable deaths and leaving the financially-disadvantaged with limited treatment options.

The senator from Davao emphasized the importance of making specialized medical services more accessible to Filipinos living in the provinces.

The establishment of regional specialty centers would bring these services closer to their communities, reducing the need for long and costly trips to Metro Manila, Go emphasized.

“After all, it is enshrined in our Constitution, as a matter of state policy, that ‘the State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people’ and that ‘the State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health and other social services available to all the people at affordable cost’,” he stressed.

The bill mandates the Department of Health (DOH) to establish specialty centers in existing DOH hospitals in different regions within five years, rather than constructing entirely new specialty hospitals — a cost-efficient and practical solution to address the issue, according to Go.

This approach leverages the expertise and availability of healthcare professionals already working in these regional hospitals, he pointed out.

The proposal also aligns with the Philippine Development Plan 2023 to 2028, signed by President Ferdinand ‘’Bongbon’’ R. Marcos Jr., which includes the establishment of specialty centers as part of the health-related legislative agenda.

Particular emphasis will be placed on establishing heart, lung, and kidney centers that replicate the capabilities of the National Specialty Centers in Metro Manila.

To ensure the effectiveness of the specialty centers, the DOH will collaborate with the National Specialty Centers to provide expert personnel, specialized training, and necessary equipment.

The bill also outlines the authorization for specialty centers to contract medical specialists and experts to provide training and technical assistance.

If enacted into law, the DOH will be required to allocate capital outlay investments through the Health Facilities Enhancement Program and work closely with the Department of Budget and Management to develop staffing patterns and standards for the specialty centers, securing positions for healthcare workers serving in these facilities.

By bringing specialized medical services closer to the people, particularly the economically disadvantaged and those residing in far-flung areas, Go said that it would help address the urgent need to bridge the healthcare gap across the country.