Press Release - In Payatas, Bong Go and Malasakit Center initiative eases the struggle of a mother with kidney disease

Life in Barangay Payatas, Quezon City, has always been challenging for Vilma Balayo and her family. A mother of six, Vilma had long faced the daily struggles of raising her children amid various economic challenges. But nothing could have prepared her for the life-altering news she received -- she was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, stage 5, a condition that would soon change everything for her and her family.

The once vibrant and active mother found herself bedridden, unable to perform even the simplest of tasks.

"Isang linggo po ako sa bahay, nakahiga. Hindi ako makatulog, suka ako nang suka," she recalled. Her condition rapidly worsened, with her family noticing her extreme weakness and paleness.

One day, when her symptoms became unbearable, her family made the decision to call for an ambulance. The barangay personnel responded swiftly, rushing her to a nearby hospital. After several tests, Vilma was transferred to East Avenue Medical Center, where she would finally understand the full extent of her illness.

The doctors informed her that her creatinine levels were alarmingly high, leaving her no other option but to undergo dialysis immediately.

With six children and mounting medical bills, the Balayo family was running out of options. But just when they felt like they were sinking, help arrived in an unexpected form -- through Senator Christopher "Bong" Go and his Malasakit Center initiative.

Vilma vividly remembered the relief she felt when they were admitted to East Avenue Medical Center, and despite her initial fears, she walked out of the hospital with nothing to pay.

"'Yung na-admit ako, wala po kami binayaran. Zero balance po kami," she said. Through the Malasakit Center, her dialysis sessions and other medical expenses were covered, alleviating the crushing financial burden that had weighed on her family.

Malasakit Centers are one-stop shops aiming to support impoverished patients in reducing their hospital costs to the least possible amount. Go is the principal author and sponsor of Republic Act No. 11463 or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program.

As of now, 166 Malasakit Centers are operational