Underscoring the need to ensure that every Filipino gets access to affordable healthcare, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go lauded the Department of Health and the local government for the successful groundbreaking of the Siargao Island Medical Center in Surigao del Norte on Thursday, 16 February.

The groundbreaking was attended by House Speaker and 1st District of Leyte Representative Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, DOH Officer-in-Charge Dr. Maria Rosario S. Vergeire, House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Vincent Franco “Duke” Frasco, and House of Representatives Majority Leader Manuel Jose “Mannix” Dalipe, among others.

In his video message, Go expressed his confidence that the rise of SIMC will further boost the health services on the island.

“Congratulations sa groundbreaking ng Siargao Island Medical Center! Una po sa lahat, maraming salamat sa lokal na gobyerno ng Siargao at napaunlakan po ako para maging parte ng makasaysayang araw na ito para sa isla ng Siargao. Maraming salamat rin sa mga kapwa ko mambabatas na sumuporta sa mga inisyatibong nakakatulong sa ating mga kababayan lalo na pagdating sa serbisyong kalusugan,” said Go.

“Parang noong nakaraang taon lang ay nag-turnover tayo ng operations from the local government to DOH, ngayon naman ay groundbreaking na. Siniguro rin po natin na ito ay mapondohan at ngayon ay unti-unti nang nasasakatuparan ito,” he cited.

Republic Act No. 11500, which Go principally sponsored and former president Rodrigo signed in 2020, upgraded the Siargao District Hospital in the town of Dapa, Surigao del Norte into a Level II General Hospital and increased its bed capacity from 50 to 100.

The Act likewise provides for the improvement of the hospital’s professional health care services and facilities to particularly benefit all residents in the eight towns composing Siargao Island.

“Naiintindihan ko po na napakahirap kumuha ng serbisyong medikal dito sa Siargao, kaya talagang ipinaglaban natin ito sa Senado. Isang magandang simula lamang ito para magbigay daan sa mga oportunidad na maparami pa lalo ang mga health facilities dito sa Siargao, lalo na po sa mga liblib na lugar,” Go said.

Go, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, likewise reiterated the need to bolster the country’s health sector, especially with the striking effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, saying, “Hindi naging handa ang ating health sector noong pumasok ang pandemya sa bansa. Nahihirapan tayo ngayon dahil hindi natin ito binigyan ng pansin nitong nagdaang mga dekada. Naging puno ang ating mga hospital, nagkulang ang mga kagamitan, at dahil kulang din tayo sa mga tao, na-overwork din ang ating mga healthworkers.”

“Kaya naman the more na dapat natin tutukan ang ating health sector ngayon, the more that we should invest in our healthcare system dahil hindi ito yung huling pandemya na darating sa buhay natin. Huwag po nating hintayin na tuluyan nang bumigay ang healthcare system natin at malagay sa panganib ang buhay ng ating mga kababayan,” he urged.

For his part as a legislator, Go has successfully pushed for 69 laws to upgrade and establish more public hospitals across the country.

He was also delighted to share the success of the Malasakit Centers program which celebrated its fifth anniversary this month. A brainchild of Go, the Malasakit Centers program ensures that poor and indigent patients get more convenient access to the medical assistance they need from the government as it brings all concerned agencies under one roof.

Go principally authored and sponsored the Malasakit Centers Act in 2019, institutionalizing the program. It mandates all hospitals managed and administered by the DOH, and the Philippine General Hospital in Manila City, to establish their own Malasakit Centers to help struggling patients reduce their medical expenses. To date, there are 154 Malasakit Centers nationwide.

“Ang Malasakit Center ay one-stop shop para sa ating mga poor and indigent patients para madali ang kanilang pagkuha ng medical assistance mula sa DOH, DSWD, PCSO at PhilHealth. Iniligay natin ang lahat ng concerned agencies sa iisang kwarto para hindi na kailangan lumayo ng ating mga kababayan. At meron po kayong Malasakit Center dito mismo sa Siargao Island Medical Center,” shared Go.

He, likewise, pushed for the creation of eight Super Health Centers on the island that will be strategically located in Burgos, Dapa, Del Carmen, General Luna, San Benito, Pilar, San Isidro, and Santa Monica.

The Super Health Center is a medium version of a polyclinic and an improved version of the rural health unit. The services offered in the center include database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy, and ambulatory surgical unit. Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service; oncology centers; physical therapy and rehabilitation center; and telemedicine, where remote diagnosis and treatment of patients will be done.

Go was instrumental in ensuring appropriate funds are allocated for the construction of some 307 Super Health Centers in 2022 and 322 more SHCs for the year 2023 under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program.

“Napansin ko noon, sa malalayong lugar, lalo na sa mga fifth and sixth class municipalities, kawawa ang mga pasyente. Manganganak minsan hindi na umaabot sa ospital. Malaking tulong talaga itong Super Health Center sa ating mga kababayan na mahihirap na walang access sa mga ospital, para hindi na malalayo ang kanilang ibabyahe. Para sa Pilipino ang Super Health Center,” highlighted Go.

Concluding his message, Go reaffirmed his commitment to support and develop more health initiatives in the country, stressing his concern that there are numerous disadvantaged Filipinos who can only rely on the government’s public health services.

“Dapat palagi po tayong handa. Lagi ko pong sinasabi na dapat maging one-step ahead tayo sa kahit na anumang sakuna. Nakita naman po natin ang dinulot ng COVID-19 sa ating bansa. Mas mabuti na handa tayo,” Go underscored.

“Nais ko rin pasalamatan ang ating mga healthcare workers na nandito ngayon dahil sa inyong sakripisyo para sa ating mga kababayan. Patuloy kong ipaglalaban ang inyong karapatan at kapakanan sa abot ng aking makakaya. Sana ay maging inspirasyon ang groundbreaking na ito para mas mapabuti ang ating serbisyo sa ating mga kababayan. Daghang salamat po,” he concluded.