Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, personally attended the 36th founding anniversary celebration of the Department of Health – Metro Manila Center for Health Development (DOH-MMCHD) at Century Park Hotel in Manila on Tuesday, 7 November.

"As the chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, it is my duty and privilege to work towards improving the quality and accessibility of healthcare services for all Filipinos," Go said in his speech as he reaffirmed his commitment to bolstering the country's healthcare sector.

Among his key priorities is his continued support for the full implementation of the Universal Health Care Act of 2019, a legislation that aims to provide affordable and accessible healthcare services to all Filipinos.

"The passage of the Universal Health Care Act in 2019 marked a significant milestone in our journey towards achieving a more equitable and comprehensive healthcare system. However, the implementation of this law is not without its challenges," acknowledged Go.

"Alam kong napakalayo pa talaga sa ngayon 'yung talagang implementation nitong UHC. Noon, naaprubahan po ito, napirmahan ni dating pangulong Rodrigo Duterte noong 2019, napakalayo pa sa ating inaasam na perpekto po na UHC… It is therefore important for our health agencies, led by the DOH and PhilHealth to exert extra effort in ensuring that the goals and objectives of the UHC will be achieved," he stressed.

Go said that as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, the Senate has successfully pushed for the inclusion of a special provision in the budget of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), which specifies the use of the P21 billion subsidy for benefit package improvement. The package includes dialysis coverage, mental health outpatient coverage, improvement of Z-Benefit packages, severe acute malnutrition, all case rates, rationalization of selected medical and surgical procedures, and the implementation of the comprehensive outpatient benefit package, including free consultation fees, laboratory tests, other diagnostic services, outpatient drug benefit, and emergency medical services.

Meanwhile, Go's other notable healthcare initiative is his support for the continued operations of Malasakit Centers across the nation. These centers serve as one-stop shops for indigent patients, providing access to available medical assistance and making healthcare more accessible.