Press Release - Bong Go seeks to bridge Philippine healthcare gaps with newly signed Regional Specialty Centers Law

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, the principal sponsor and one of the authors of the law, emphasized the importance of the newly enacted Republic Act No. 11959, a critical measure signed by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. last August.

RA 11959 mandates the establishment of Regional Specialty Centers throughout the country to enhance the accessibility of specialized medical services for Filipinos.

Go, in a statement, emphasized the need for the law, stating, "As the principal sponsor and one of the authors of the measure together with no less than Senate President Migz Zubiri, I have long recognized the need to bring specialized medical services to more poor and indigent Filipino patients, most of them living outside Metro Manila where most, if not all, of our national specialty centers are found."

"Proud tayo na 24-0 ang naging botohan para maipasa ito sa Senado. Lahat ng kapwa ko senador ay sumoporta dito dahil alam natin na tunay na makatutulong ito sa mahihirap," he added.

The law seeks to decentralize the availability of specialized medical services, traditionally concentrated in the capital city, and distribute them to Department of Health (DOH) hospitals in every region.

Highlighting the urgency and the expected benefits of this move, Go remarked, "In doing so, we will be bringing essential specialty medical services closer to our people---particularly the hopeless, helpless, and those who have no one to turn to except the government."

"The Regional Specialty Centers will also help decongest our existing national specialty centers, such as the National Center for Mental Health in Mandaluyong City, the Philippine Heart Center, and the National Kidney and Transplant Institute in Quezon City," he added.

This initiative is part of a multi-year plan, with the government planning to set up Regional Specialty Centers across various regions within the next five years. While there are already existing specialty centers in select major hospitals across the country, this law aims to ensure that each region has its own specialty centers tailored to meet the specific healthcare needs of its local population.

These Regional Specialty Centers will provide a wide range of