‘Pangalagaan ang nutrisyon, sikaping walang magutom’ — Bong Go

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go remains unwavering in his commitment to aid the underprivileged as he continues his feeding program for patients and their families as well as frontliners in public hospitals, particularly those in Malasakit Centers.

This initiative was born from Go's encounters with the difficulties faced by patients and their families in accessing necessary medical services. He continues to ensure that patients and their families face fewer hardships during their medical journey.

“Bilang Mr. Malasakit na ang aking bisyo ay ang magserbisyo, ang feeding program na ito ay bahagi ng aking adhikain na makatulong, kahit sa maliit na paraan, sa mga pasyente at kanilang mga pamilya na nasa ospital,” said Go.

“Alam ko po ang hirap na inyong pinagdadaanan, hindi lamang sa inyong kalusugan kundi pati na rin sa mga gastusin sa pagkain at pamasahe. Kaya't sinimulan ko po ang programang ito upang kahit papaano ay mabawasan ang inyong alalahanin at mabigyan kayo ng konting ginhawa,” he added.

By providing meals, the program not only addresses the immediate nutritional needs of patients and their families but also alleviates some of the financial pressures they face. This initiative underscores the importance of holistic care, where patients' overall well-being, including their nutritional and emotional needs, is considered.

Go then thanked all the medical frontliners and hospital staff for their unwavering dedication and hard work in attending to the medical needs of every patient.

Over the past two weeks, Go’s Malasakit Team has visited various hospitals to conduct the feeding program.

In Luzon, the scheduled hospitals included Philippine Children’s Medical Center, Quirino Memorial Medical Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, Philippine National Police General Hospital, and Philippine Heart Center, all in Quezon City; Rizal Medical Center in Pasig City; Amang Rodriguez Memorial Hospital in Marikina City; Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa City; and Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center in Manila City.

Meanwhile, in Visayas, the feeding program visited Northern Samar Provincial Hospital in Catarman, Northern Samar; Leyte Provincial Hospital in Palo, Leyte; and Biliran Provincial Hospital in Naval, Biliran.

Lastly, in Mindanao, the feeding program was held at Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City; Siargao Island Medical Center in Dapa, Surigao del Norte; and Adela Serra Ty Memorial Medical Center in Tandag City, Surigao Del Sur.

Malasakit Centers are one-stop shops established in government hospitals to streamline the process of availing medical assistance for health services. These centers consolidate the medical assistance programs provided by various government agencies such as the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

The primary goal of Malasakit Centers is to ensure that Filipinos, particularly the poor and marginalized, can access the necessary medical care without the burden of excessive out-of-pocket expenses. To date, there are currently 165 Malasakit Centers that have helped around ten million Filipinos nationwide. Go is the principal sponsor and author of the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019.

In conclusion, Go reaffirmed his unwavering support for the health sector, emphasizing his ongoing commitment to initiatives that provide tangible benefits to those in need.

“Hangad ko po na maipagpatuloy ang feeding program na ito hangga't maaari. Personal kong inisyatibo ito para makatulong. Ang bawat pagkain na inyong natatanggap ay simbolo ng aming malasakit at suporta sa inyong laban para sa mas maayos at malusog na kalusugan,” Go stressed.

“Patuloy po akong magiging katuwang ninyo sa pagpapaunlad ng serbisyong pangkalusugan sa ating bansa. Maraming salamat po sa inyong tiwala at suporta. Magtulungan po tayo upang mapanatili ang maayos at malusog na pamumuhay ng bawat Pilipino,” said Go.