Senator Christopher “Bong” Go demonstrated his commitment to public service and healthcare during his visit to the “Sinulog sa Lalawigan 2024” in Cebu Citylast 14 January as before joining the festivities managed by the Cebu provincial government, he first assisted fire victims in Barangay Carreta, highlighting the importance of prioritizing the impoverished in need of assistance.

Go, a Visayan native from Mindanao, expressed his gratitude for the support received during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration and reiterated his dedication to serving the Filipino people.

Before attending the festival, Go visited Barangay Carreta to give hope and support to victims of a recent fire and highlighted the challenges faced by those in poverty and the importance of providing aid to the less fortunate.

As the chairperson of the Committee on Health and Demography and Sports in the Senate, Go outlined his key priorities. The first is the continuing operations of the Malasakit Centers program, with 159 centers across the Philippines.

In Cebu City, Malasakit Centers are located at Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital and Cebu City Medical Center. Meanwhile, other Malasakit Centers exist at Cebu Provincial Hospital in Carcar City, Lapu-Lapu City District Hospital, Eversley Childs Sanitarium and General Hospital in Mandaue City and Talisay District Hospital in Talisay City.

Malasakit Centers bring together representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation and 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 11463, or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program and the Health department reports that the Malasakit Center program has already provided aid to around 10 million Filipinos.

His other priority is the establishment of more Super Health Centers, which will serve as medium-sized polyclinics to help decongest hospitals. He said that Super Health Centers are designed to focus on primary care, consultation, and early disease detection, further strengthening the healthcare sector in the country, especially in grassroots communities.