Press Release - Bong Go lauds launching of country's 166th Malasakit Center in Tabuk City, Kalinga

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, chair of the Senate Health Committee, lauded the successful inauguration of the 166th Malasakit Center located at the Kalinga Provincial Hospital in Tabuk City, Kalinga, on Tuesday, July 16.

A brainchild of Go, the Malasakit Centers program consolidates medical assistance from several government agencies--including the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Health (DOH), the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office--into one location within qualified public hospitals.

"Isang magandang balita ang hatid natin ngayon dahil 166 na ang Malasakit Centers na naitayo sa buong Pilipinas. Kahapon ay sinaksihan ng aking opisina ang paglulunsad ng pinakabagong Malasakit Center na nasa Kalinga Provincial Hospital sa Tabuk City," Go announced.

This initiative aims to ease the burden on poor and indigent patients who would otherwise have to visit multiple offices for government health assistance.

"Tuluy-tuloy lang ang programang ito dahil hindi natin dapat pinahihirapan ang mga pasyente. Dapat tulungan natin sila para hindi na sila pumipila sa iba't ibang ahensya para makahingi ng tulong mula sa gobyerno," explained Go.

"Huwag na 'yung sila pa ang lalapit sa atin para magmakaawang humingi ng tulong. Tulungan natin ang mga mahihirap, sino ba naman ang magtutulungan kung 'di tayo po kapwa natin mga Pilipino. At 'yung mga helpless, hopeless na umaasa po sa gobyerno, sila po ang dapat nating unahin," he added.

Go pushed for establishing Malasakit Centers in 2018, and was later institutionalized under Republic Act No. 11463, also known as the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019 which he principally authored and sponsored.

This law requires all DOH-run hospitals and Philippine General Hospital to establish their own Malasakit Center, with the option available to other public hospitals that meet certain operational standards set by the law. According to DOH, the centers have collectively assisted more or less ten million Filipinos so far.

"Napakahalaga ng mga inisyatiba tulad ng Malasakit Centers para kahit papaano ay nababawasan ang gastusin ng isang pasyente at nailalaan nila ang