Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, chair of the Senate Health Committee, was invited to the inauguration of the 165th Malasakit Center located at the Conrado F. Estrella Regional Medical and Trauma Center in Rosales, Pangasinan on Friday, 10 May.
The Malasakit Centers program, initiated by Go even before he became a senator, consolidates medical assistance programs from several government agencies—including the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Health (DOH), the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office—under one roof inside qualified public hospitals to unburden poor and indigent patients from the trouble of lining up in several offices just to get government assistance for their health needs.
“Tuluy-tuloy lang ang programang ito dahil hindi natin dapat pinahihirapan ang mga pasyente. Dapat tulungan natin sila para hindi na sila pumipila sa iba’t ibang ahensya para makahingi ng tulong mula sa gobyerno,” explained Go.
"Huwag na ‘yung sila pa ang lalapit sa atin para magmakaawang humingi ng tulong. Tulungan natin ang mga mahihirap, sino ba naman ang magtutulungan kung ‘di tayo po kapwa natin mga Pilipino. At ‘yung mga helpless, hopeless na umaasa po sa gobyerno, sila po ang dapat nating unahin," he added.
Go pushed for establishing Malasakit Centers in 2018, later institutionalized under Republic Act No. 11463, also known as the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019. This law requires all DOH-run hospitals and Philippine General Hospital to establish their own Malasakit Center, with the option available to other public hospitals that meet certain operational standards by the law.
Malasakit Centers are distributed nationwide, with 92 in Luzon, 30 in Visayas, and 43 in Mindanao, including six in the Ilocos Region, with two in Pangasinan alone. The other Malasakit Center in the province is at the Region 1 Medical Center in Dagupan City. According to DOH, the centers have collectively assisted more or less ten million Filipinos.
During the center's launch and in support of medical frontliners, Go distributed assistance to 322 hospital staff and 331 patients, such as snacks, grocery packs, vitamins, masks, shirts, and balls for basketball and volleyball. There were also select recipients of bicycles, shoes, mobile phones, and watches.
Additionally, Go urged concerned agencies during his visit to extend further assistance to indigent patients to help them with their medical needs.
"Unang-una, parati ko kasing naririnig... salamat sa mga tulong, salamat sa mga Super Health Center, salamat sa Malasakit Center, sa lahat ng programa," noted Go, an adopted son of Pangasinan.
"Huwag po kayong magpasalamat sa akin. Sa totoo lang po, ako po ang dapat magpasalamat sa inyo dahil ako po’y isang probinsyano lamang na binigyan nyo po ng pagkakataon na makapagserbisyo po sa inyo. Maraming-maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat," he added.
The event also served as a platform for Go to express gratitude to other public servants, including Department of Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III who is from Rosales, Philippine Coconut Authority Administrator Dr. Dexter Buted, Congressman Robert Raymund Estrella, Governor Ramon Guico III, Vice Governor Mark Lambino, Board Member Sheila Baniqued, Rosales Mayor Liam Cezar and Vice Mayor Susan Casareno, Umingan Mayor Michael Cruz, Asingan Mayor Carlos Lopez Jr, Sta. Maria Mayor Julius Ramos, Natividad Mayor Rosita Rafael, San Quintin Mayor Florence Tiu, San Manuel Mayor Kenneth Perez, Sto Tomas Mayor Dickerson Villar, Balungao Mayor Theresa Peralta and officials from partner agencies and the hospital staff whose efforts were crucial in bringing much needed services to the locality.
Secretary Estrella lauded Go for his crucial role in the development of the new Malasakit Center in the province, saying, "Unang-una, nais nating batiin, walang iba kung hindi ang tumulong sa atin dito sa ospital na ito. Ang isa sa pinakamasipag, pinakamagaling tumulong, lalo na sa mahihirap, walang iba kung hindi si Senator Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go," Estrella stated.
Secretary Estrella reflected on the challenging process of bringing the project to fruition, crediting Go for his persistence and leadership. "Sa pagdaan natin sa butas ng karayom, ang ating kasama ay walang iba, kung hindi ang ating mahal na Senator Bong Go.”
“Kaya, sa lahat po nang naririto ngayon, at sampu ng inyong mga kamag-anak, mga kasama, eh, huwag naman sana ninyong kakalimutan. Pagdating ng araw na kailangan din siyang lumusot sa butas ng karayom, kailangan samahan natin siya, all the way," Estrella elaborated.
Highlighting the broad impact of their collaboration, Estrella pushed for the establishment of the hospital when he was still Congressman. Meanwhile, Go principally sponsored in the Senate R.A. No. 11558 or An Act Establishing a General Hospital in the Municipality of Rosales, Province of Pangasinan to be known as the Conrado F. Estrella Regional Medical and Trauma Center. This hospital is where the new Malasakit Center is located.
Moreover, Go also reiterated his commitment to supporting other initiatives, such as establishing more Super Health Centers to bring primary care closer to communities and Regional Specialty Centers to bring specialized medical services to all regions nationwide.
Through the concerted efforts of Go, fellow lawmakers, the DOH, led by Secretary Teodoro "Ted" Herbosa, and local government units, adequate funding was allocated for establishing more than 700 Super Health Centers nationwide, including 26 in Pangasinan.
Go is also the principal sponsor and one of the authors of RA 11959, or the Regional Specialty Centers Act. These facilities will focus on providing advanced medical care for specific conditions, thereby enhancing the capacity to offer specialized treatment and cater to the complex health needs of Filipinos.
“Hinding-hindi ko po sasayangin yung pagkakataong ibinigay nyo po sa akin. Magtatrabaho po ako para sa Pilipino. At iyan po ang pwede kong i-alay sa inyo, ang aking bisyo sa pagseserbisyo,” said Go who is known as Mr. Malasakit for his compassionate service to Filipinos in need.
After the Malasakit Center launch, Go assisted cooperatives from the region and displaced workers from Rosales.
