The people of Naga City, led by Mayor Nelson Legacion, expressed their profound gratitude towards Senator Christopher "Bong" Go for his instrumental role in advocating for essential medical equipment that will enable the launch of a free dialysis center at the Naga City General Hospital in Camarines Sur.
This significant local healthcare development, backed by a PhP20 million funding initiative supported by Go as vice chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, will be beneficial for the community, particularly for those in dire need of regular dialysis treatments.
Legacion took to Facebook to extend a heartfelt thank you to Go for his support. “Narinig po namin ni VM (Vice Mayor Cecilia) ‘Nene’ (de Asis) at ng Team Naga ang mga pakiusap at pangangailangan ng mga taga-Naga, lalo na ng mga matatanda na magbukas ng dialysis center sa NC General Hospital.”
He continued, “Sa tulong ni Senator Bong Go na naglaan ng pondo, malapit na pong matupad ang ating pangarap! Hinihintay na lang po natin na ideliver sa atin ng DOH (Department of Health) ang kinakailangang kagamitan para sa dialysis.”
“Salamat, Senator Bong Go! Sa aking mga minamahal na taga-Naga, kaunting tiis na lang po!” he added.
Dr. Joseph Sanchez, medical chief of the hospital, shared the latest developments regarding the new dialysis center. The design phase is complete, and the project is now in the procurement stage for equipment. Initially, the center will hopefully feature 12 dialysis chairs, aiming to serve 12 patients at a time.
Sanchez expressed his gratitude to Go: “Senator Bong Go, ang Naga City General Hospital and Naga City and would like to thank you for the support for (medical assistance for indigents) and for the proposed city dialysis center."
In response, Go expressed his commitment to improving healthcare across the Philippines, highlighting his focus on making essential services accessible to all Filipinos.
Go remarked that supporting the establishment of the free dialysis center in Naga City reflects their collective commitment to enhance healthcare accessibility in every region.”
“This initiative not only addresses the immediate needs of the Nagueños but also sets a precedent for future healthcare improvements. We remain steadfast in our mission to bring government services closer to the people, especially when it comes to health,” he added.
In the Senate, the senator has successfully advocated for increasing PhilHealth coverage for dialysis sessions from 144 to 156 sessions in 2023, further supporting patients with kidney ailments by reducing their financial burdens.
Moreover, Go filed Senate Bill No. 190, known as the “Free Dialysis Act of 2022”. If approved, the bill will require PhilHealth, in consultation with the Health Technology Assessment Council, to develop and institutionalize a comprehensive dialysis benefit package that shall fully cover all costs of hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis treatments, sessions, and procedures done in PhilHealth-accredited health facilities.
The initiative in Naga City is part of Go's broader advocacy as chair of the Senate Committee on Health, through his legislative work, which includes supporting the ongoing operations of Malasakit Centers, aimed at consolidating various government agencies under one roof to ease the burden on Filipinos seeking medical assistance.
In Camarines Sur, Malasakit Centers are located at Bicol Medical Center (BMC) in Naga City and the Bicol Region General Hospital and Geriatric Medical Center in Cabusao.
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, 165 Malasakit Centers are operational across the country, poised to assist with patients' medical expenses. The DOH reports that the Malasakit Center program has already provided aid to more or less ten million Filipinos.
Additionally, Go advocated establishing Super Health Centers nationwide to bring primary care, consultations, and early disease detection closer to communities. 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 18 in Camarines Sur.
Aside from the dialysis equipment, Go has supported various projects throughout Camarines Sur.
The senator has facilitated support for significant flood mitigation and riverbank protection across the province. In Baao, the Senator's initiatives include constructing and rehabilitating flood control structures and enhancing riverbank slope protection along the Waras River.
Similarly, in Bato and Buhi, Go's support has led to the establishment of new flood control structures and improvements to existing riverbank protections. In Bula, efforts supported by Go have focused on constructing robust river slope protections along the Bicol River.
Additional projects in Garchitorena, Goa, and Nabua reflect Go’s commitment to safeguarding communities from flooding through enhanced flood mitigation structures along various rivers and creeks.
Go has also been a key proponent of infrastructure development in Camarines Sur, aiming to improve local connectivity and access. In Balatan, his backing has supported the concreting of a crucial provincial road. Buhi has seen multiple road constructions, including drainage systems and concreting efforts.
In Caramoan, road rehabilitation projects have been undertaken to improve local road conditions, and Lagonoy has benefited from Go’s support in constructing new roads and bridges, including the notable Dahat-Himagtocon Bridge, enhancing access to local attractions.
In Naga City, Go also supported the construction of a bypass road which he visited last year.
Finally, through the support of Go, Del Gallego now hosts a new evacuation center, providing a secure location for residents during emergencies.
“Ako po ang inyong Senator kuya Bong Go, patuloy na magseserbisyo sa inyong lahat. Dahil bisyo ko ang magserbisyo at ako ay naniniwala na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo po yan sa Diyos,” added Go who is known as Mr. Malasakit for his compassionate service to Filipinos in need.
