Krystelle Morales could not hold back her tears in a chance meeting with Senator Christopher “Bong” Go during a visit to the Senate Building on Tuesday, 7 May.

A Political Science student from the University of the East in Manila City, Krystelle shared with the senator how the “Malasakit Center Program” which the senator initiated supported her family through a very heart-breaking period in their lives.

Krystelle’s father, Jimbo, was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

“At that time, we were financially hard up. Our hospital bills has already reached more than a million pesos. My mom didn’t know what to do, where to get money,” she said. “Thanks to Malasakit. We were able to surpass it.”

Her father, Krystelle related, is now on the way to recovery. Thanks to the Malasakit Center.

Following Krystelle’s story, fellow student Jaymes Mamorno also expressed his deep gratitude to the Malasakit Centers for their invaluable assistance during his mother’s severe health crisis.

“My mom has Stage 4 cancer and she needed to chemo. We were referred to the Malasakit Center by the LGU and it is there that I saw we have a government,” Jaymes said. “Thank you Senator Go, You’re helping a lot of people with your initiative.”

Malasakit Centers are one-stop shops that 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.