Nida de Leon Ocampo, a street food vendor from Antipolo City, shared her experience with Malasakit Centers, a program initiated by Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, highlighting their significant impact on offering Filipinos medical and financial support. Her account is one of many that underscore the essential services provided by these centers to those in need.

Nida's son, Danilo de Leon Ocampo, a 38-year-old tricycle driver, suffered a life-altering accident on his birthday, leaving him paralyzed due to a severe spinal cord injury. The family's already precarious financial situation worsened as Danilo's condition required continuous medical attention and rehabilitation, which they could hardly afford.

In an emotional recount, Nida described the ordeal of her son's accident and the subsequent challenges. "Nadale po 'yung spinal cord niya. Hindi na po siya nakakatayo. Nakahiga lang po siya mula noong May 16 hanggang ngayon, hindi po siya nakakatayo," she shared, her voice heavy with concern and helplessness.

Facing a staggering hospital bill of P79,000 at the Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City, (more popularly known as "Labor Hospital") and the urgent need for a brace for Danilo, Nida was at her wit's end. At this critical juncture, the Malasakit Center in the hospital emerged as a lifeline.

Malasakit Centers bring together representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Health, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

These one-stop shops aim 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, 159 Malasakit Centers are operational across the country, poised to assist with patients' medical expenses. The DOH reported that the Malasakit Center program has already provided aid to more or less ten million Filipinos.

The Malasakit Center significantly alleviated the financial burden on Nida's family. "Nagkaroon po kami ng P79,000 po yata 'yong naging bill namin sa Labor. Inilapit namin sa Malasakit (center) tsaka sa PhilHealth. 'Yun po ang nakatulong sa amin para makalabas siya sa ospital," Nida gratefully acknowledged.

In her heartfelt thanks, Nida explicitly credited Go and the Malasakit Center for their critical assistance. "Ako po'y nagpapasalamat po kay Senator Bong Go na kami po'y natulungan niya sa pamamagitan ng Malasakit Center," she expressed.

While Danilo's journey to recovery is far from over, with the continued support of the Malasakit Center and the potential further assistance from Go, Nida harbors hope for her son's future. "Sana nga po matulungan po kami… Sana po matulungan n'yo po kami, Senator Bong Go," she appealed.

Since the inception of the Malasakit Centers, Go has been a staunch advocate for providing accessible healthcare to Filipinos, especially the underprivileged. His vision of consolidating financial assistance from various government agencies under one roof has revolutionized how medical aid is provided in the country.

"Nung unang panahon, marami sa mga kababayan natin ang kinakailangang pang lumabas ng ospital at pumila sa iba't ibang ahensya ng gobyerno para humingi ng tulong. Ubos na panahon nila, ubos pa ang pera nila sa pamasahe. Mangungutang at ibebenta pa niyan ang kalabaw para may maibayad sa naiwang balanse," Go earlier explained.

"Ngayon, hindi na nila kailangang gawin 'yan. Kung may billing kayo sa pampublikong ospital, puntahan niyo lang ang Malasakit Center at tutulungan kayo nito," he added.

Go further stressed that all Filipinos are entitled to the medical assistance available in the Malasakit Centers. Patients and their guardians would just need to fill up necessary forms and comply with the requirements needed by each participating agency to process their medical assistance.

"Isa itong one-stop shop kung saan pinagsama-sama na sa iisang bubong ang mga ahensya ng pamahalaan na nilalapitan ng ating mga kababayan kapag humihingi ng tulong pangmedikal sa pamahalaan. Kaya huwag kayong mahihiyang lumapit sa Malasakit Center dahil para sa inyo iyan," Go said.

"Ang pondo na ginagamit para sa medical assistance programs ng gobyerno ay inilalapit sa tao sa pamamagitan ng Malasakit Centers. Basta Pilipino ka, qualified ka. Pera po ng taumbayan yan na ibinabalik lang sa kanila sa pamamagitan ng mabilis, maayos at maaasahang serbisyo mula sa Malasakit Centers," he added.