Sen. Go visits patients, flood victims in PGH

AS heavy rains from the typhoon-enhanced southwest monsoon (habagat) pounded the National Capital Region on Thursday, Sen. Bong Go visited the Cancer Institute at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in the city of Manila.

Go, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, came to check on underprivileged Filipinos needing medical assistance in the hospital, and flood-troubled PGH personnel manning the frontlines during Super Typhoon Carina's onslaught that enhanced monsoon rains.

As the country's premier tertiary-care government hospital, PGH must provide primary and specialized health care to the general public.

Unfortunately, the typhoon did not spare the PGH, aggravating the situation of its patients and on-duty personnel.

As the typhoon exited the country, Go and his Malasakit Team immediately distributed food packs, shirts, basketballs and volleyballs to the patients during their visit.

Meanwhile, the hospital staff received fruits and sports items as well.

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Go also provided rice porridge, or «goto,» in PGH to ensure patients and frontliners could stay warm and eat during the bad weather.

Go thanked the hospital's administration, including Dr. Gerardo Legazpi, Dietary Division In-charge Ms. Emmie Lavilla, Director of Cancer Institute Dr. Rodney Dofitas, Deputy Director for Nursing Services Cecille Punzalan, and Malasakit Center head Daisy Manlangit, among others, for their support.

Go is the principal author and sponsor of Republic Act (RA) 11463, or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program.

This one-stop shop aims to support underprivileged patients in reducing their hospital costs to the least possible amount.

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According to the Department of Health, there are already 166 Malasakit Centers nationwide, including the one in PGH. Collectively, these Malasakit Centers have helped more or less 10 million Filipinos.

Other Malasakit Centers in the city are located at the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital, Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, San Lazaro Hospital, and Tondo Medical Center.

On the same day, Go aided more Typhoon Carina victims in Barangay 519 Zone 51 in the city and assisted