Senator Christopher ‘’Bong’’ Go (Senate PRIB)



Senator Christopher ‘’Bong’’ Go and Department of Health (DOHl Secretary Teodoro ‘’Ted’’ Herbosa have vowed to prioritize pro-poor medical programs to benefit the Filipino people. This followed Go’s  inauguration of the 158th Malasakit Center inside the Diosdado P. Macapagal Memorial Hospital in Guagua, Pampanga on Friday, June 9. Herbosa maintained that he would prioritize pro-poor programs as part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive, solidifying the government’s dedication to ensuring equitable access to healthcare for all Filipinos, saying, “The President has ordered me to focus on the poor and those on need. That is my commitment to him when I accepted to become the Secretary of Health.” “That is the marching orders of the President, to focus on the rising cases of TB and HIV and, of course, to help the poor. But my job is already done after Bong Go has launched the Malasakit Center… This is a big help. Again, the call of our President is ‘unity’. Let us help each other, PhilHealth, PCSO, DSWD, Office of Senator (Go), and local government. If we are united, we can help all the poor in the country. Long live to all of us and long live to Senator Go for your initiative, the Malasakit Center,” Herbosa added. In his speech, Go expressed his gratitude to his fellow public servants, including Herbosa, Governor Dennis Pineda, and Vice Governor Lilia Pineda, for sharing the same advocacy in ensuring that no Filipino is left behind when it comes to medical care. “We should be grateful to our frontliners for their sacrifice during the period of the pandemic. We will not reach this if not for the sacrifice of the doctors, nurses, even the security guards, utility men. All of them have sacrificed. Thank you to all of our medical frontliners,” he said. “Dr. Ted Herbosa is one of them. He was then with the frontliners… he was the IATF adviser during the time of the pandemic. They were the ones instructed by then by President Rodrigo to solve the problem brought by the pandemic. They were there at all times.  When it comes to experience on Covid-19 response, and even sa public service, Dr. Herbosa knows what to do about the problem,” he expressed. Meanwhile, Vice Governor Pineda took the opportunity to commend Go for initiating the Malasakit Centers program that has helped more than seven million Filipinos, according to the DOH. She then highlighted the significance of Go's efforts in transforming the healthcare landscape in Pampanga and beyond. The Vice Governor also emphasized that the Malasakit Centers have become instrumental in alleviating the financial burden of medical expenses, ensuring that no one is left behind in their pursuit of proper healthcare. The Malasakit Center, a brainchild of Senator Go, aims to streamline and expedite the delivery of medical assistance to particularly poor and indigent patients by consolidating the services of various government agencies under one roof. The program was launched in 2018 and was later institutionalized under Republic Act (RA) No.11463 or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which Go principally authored and sponsored in the Senate. The Malasakit Center at Diosdado P. Macapagal Memorial Hospital in Guagua is the fourth in the province of Pampanga, together with those at Rafael Lazatin Memorial Medical Center in Angeles City; and at Overseas Filipino Workers Hospital and Diagnostic Center and Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital, both in San Fernando City. Continuing his remarks, Go called upon DOH Secretary Herbosa and other health officials to prioritize the well-being of Filipinos, particularly the poor during these difficult times. Recognizing the crucial role played by Malasakit Centers in providing accessible healthcare to those in need, Senator Go emphasized the need for robust support systems to ensure that every Filipino, particularly the poor and indigents, receives the necessary medical assistance they deserve. During the inauguration, Go also provided assistance to 120 in-patients, 174 out-patients, and 378 frontliners, including security guards, utilities, and hospital staff, received food packs, masks, vitamins, and snacks. The senator also gave away bicycles, cellular phones, shoes, shirts, and balls for basketball and volleyball to select recipients. Additionally, a team from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) extended financial assistance to qualified patients. The inauguration was also attended by other officials, including DOH Undersecretary Enrique Tayag, Assistant Secretary Atty. Charade Mercado-Grande, Malasakit Program Office Director Girlie Veloso, DOH Central Luzon Center for Health Development Director Corazon Flores and Asst. Regional Director Lailani Mangulabnan, and Provincial DOH Office Pampanga Development Management Officer Dr. Amelito Nicolas, among others. Earlier that day, Go was in Meycauayan City, Bulacan where he attended the ribbon-cutting and blessing of the city’s Super Health Center and led a relief operation for more than a thousand struggling Bulakeños. He also visited Guiguinto town and assisted more disadvantaged residents.