Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Friday, 16 March, personally attended the inauguration of the new Super Health Center in Mapandan, Pangasinan. Go emphasized the center's importance in providing residents with much-needed access to key healthcare services, positively impacting the community's well-being.

“Sa tulong ng DOH (Department of Health), LGUs (local government units) at kapwa nating mambabatas, ilalagay po ang Super Health Centers sa mga strategic areas para hindi na kailangang bumyahe pa ng malayo ang mga tao para magpagamot. Ilapit na natin sa tao ang serbisyong medikal mula gobyerno,” he added.

Super Health Centers are designed to focus on primary care, consultation, and early detection, further strengthening the healthcare sector in the country, especially in grassroots communities.

He also confirmed that free consultations would be handled by municipal health offices, local government units, and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation through its Konsulta program.

Through the collective efforts of the DOH led by Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, local government units (LGUs), and fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds have been allocated under the DOH for the construction of 307 Super Health Centers in 2022, 322 in 2023, and 132 in 2024. DOH, as the lead implementing agency, identifies the strategic areas where these Super Health Centers will be established.

Go, an adopted son of Pangasinan, highlighted that a total of 26 Super Health Centers are funded for the province.

During his visit, he lauded the local leaders, including Congresswoman Rachel Arenas, Governor Ramon Guico III, Vice Governor Mark Lambino, Mayor Karl Christian Vega, and Vice Mayor Gerald Glenn Tambaoan, among others, for their untiring efforts to improve public service delivery for their constituents.

Meanwhile, Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography informed the beneficiaries that they may avail of medical assistance from the Malasakit Center located at the Region 1 Medical Center (R1MC) in Dagupan City or from any of the 161 Malasakit Centers across the country.

Malasakit Centers bring together representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, DOH, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, aiming to support impoverished patients in reducing their hospital costs to the least possible amount.

Go is the principal author and sponsor of RA 11463, or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program. The centers have helped more than ten million Filipinos nationwide, according to DOH.

Go, who principally sponsored and is one of the authors of RA 11959, also known as the Regional Specialty Centers Act, worked collaboratively with other senators who contributed significantly to the passage of this landmark legislation. Their collective efforts were instrumental in its enactment, leading to it being signed into law by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. in 2023. In Pangasinan, there are planned and existing specialty centers at the R1MC.

Meanwhile, the senator and his Malasakit Team also distributed snacks, food packs, shirts, and balls for basketball and volleyball to barangay health workers present during his visit.

Aside from Super Health Centers, the senator being the vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance supported various projects throughout the province, including the acquisition of medical equipment for the dialysis center of the Western Pangasinan District Hospital.