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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DOH assures uninterrupted Malasakit Center operations next year

DOH assures uninterrupted Malasakit Center operations next year

Published Nov 21, 2025 01:24 pm

At A Glance

  • The Department of Health (DOH) has assured the Senate that all Malasakit Centers nationwide will continue operating without disruption next year.

The Department of Health (DOH) has assured the Senate that all Malasakit Centers nationwide will continue operating without disruption next year.

Senator Christopher
Senator Christopher "Bong" Go (Facebook)

Sen. Pia Cayetano, who defended the DOH’s proposed 2026 budget in plenary, relayed the agency’s assurance following questions about its continuity following reports some patients were turned away due to lack of funding.

Cayetano confirmed that the DOH’s Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program remains fully available in all Malasakit Centers to support “unhampered” and “uninterrupted” medical aid for patients.

This is consistent with a commitment letter earlier submitted by the DOH to Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go in his capacity as vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Health. The letter reaffirmed the department’s assurance that no qualified Filipino seeking help through Malasakit Centers will be turned away.

To this, Go expressed hope that the DOH will make sure Malasakit Centers will continue serving the public without discrimination or political barriers.

“There is no choice. As long as you are Filipino, you are qualified here at the Malasakit Center. Patients should not beg politicians for help. All they should care about is getting out of the hospital,” Go said.

He also stressed the necessity of protecting the program, saying the Malasakit Center was created to standardize the process of medical assistance programs and to ensure patients are treated equally.

The DOH reiterated during the budget deliberations that it intends to sustain these operations through 2026 to ensure that patient assistance remains consistent across all centers.

Related Tags

Bong Go DOH MAIFIP Malasakit Centers
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