A young patient gives Sen. Bong Go a high five.

Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go went back to the country’s first ever Malasakit Center, located at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) in Cebu City, on Friday for an early Christmas celebration with children and senior citizen patients.

VSMMC was where the Malasakit Center initiative took off with its launch on 22 February 2018.

Today, hundreds of thousands of patients have already benefited from the program, a convergence initiative of President Rodrigo Duterte as proposed by Go himself when he was still Special Assistant to the President.

The senator was elated to see how much impact the Malasakit Center made in the province in less than two years.

“Mga bata, may konti lang akong pamasko sa inyo. Pang-pasyal at pang-meryenda niyo lang sa SM. Lahat kayo makakatanggap at kung ano pa ang pangangailangan n’yo pa dito, magsabi lang kayo dahil mayroon na tayong Malasakit Center na matagal na, pinaka-una sa Cebu,” Go told his young audience.

Go also extended the President’s greetings and vowed that the administration will continue prioritizing the welfare of children, senior citizens and the vulnerable sectors of society.

“Kinakamusta kayo ni Pangulo, gusto niyang pumunta pero busy lang talaga siya. Basta kami, patuloy lang ang aming serbisyo sa inyo. ‘Wag kayong mahiya lumapit sa akin,” Go said.

The senator then interacted with senior citizen patients, whom he thanked for their continued trust and support for the Duterte administration.

Go said one of the things he learned from the President was to always give back to those who supported him on his way to the top by serving them and uplifting their lives.

“Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat lalo na sa inyong suporta… At dahil dito, isa sa mga natutunan ko kay Presidente ay ang magtanaw ng utang na loob at tayong mga Bisaya, nasa atin iyon na hindi natin nalilimutan. Kaya andito ako sa harap ninyo para magserbisyo sa inyo. Anytime, basta sa abot ng aming makakaya, tutulong kami,” Go said.

The senator said prior to the establishment of Malasakit Centers, indigent patients and their representatives spent time, effort and money queuing up in different government offices, such as the Department of Health and Department of Social Welfare and Development, to avail of medical assistance.

“Hindi n’yo na po kailangan maghirap at magpalipat-lipat para lang makakuha ng serbisyong medikal. Pumunta lang po kayo sa Malasakit Center. Pera n’yo po ito, ibinabalik lang sa inyo sa pamamagitan ng mabilis, maayos at maaasahang serbisyo para sa lahat ng Pilipino,” Go said.

With the signing into law of the Malasakit Center Act, 73 DOH-run hospitals will be mandated to have such centers.

“Mayroon ng criteria na pwedeng sundin ng mga LGUs para hindi magbungi-bungi ang Malasakit Center na gustong ilagay sa kanilang lugar,” Go said.