Bong Go: Make OFW Hospital permanent

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go reaffirmed his commitment to institutionalize and expand the overseas Filipino workers (OFW) Hospital in San Fernando City, Pampanga, following its recent recognition as “Public Facility of the Year (Health Category – Philippines)” at the 2025 GovMedia Conference & Awards in Singapore.

Pampanga, following its recent recognition as “Public Facility of the Year (Health Category-Philippines)” at the 2025 GovMedia Conference & Awards in Singapore.

Go supported the Duterte administration’s vision of providing specialized healthcare for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), which materialized during his tenure as Senate Committee on Health chairperson.

The OFW Hospital, which began operating on 2 May 2022, through the joint efforts of the Duterte government and the Pampanga provincial government, now serves as a dedicated medical facility for OFWs and their families.

“This is not just a hospital. It’s a concrete proof that we can prioritize the welfare of OFWs, who have long been recognized as heroes of our nation,” Go stressed.

As one of the authors and co-sponsors of Republic Act 11641, which established the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Go has also pushed for other measures supporting OFWs.

Among them is Senate Bill No. 2297, which seeks to institutionalize the OFW Hospital to ensure its sustainability beyond changes in administrations and political terms.

“Programs for OFWs should not be temporary. They must be permanent and expanded further,” Go explained. “That’s why we continue to push in the Senate to institutionalize the OFW Hospital and strengthen the services they rightfully deserve.”

Go also filed Senate Bill No. 2990, which proposes to increase the hospital’s bed capacity from 50 to 100, upgrade its facilities, and hire more staff to better serve OFWs and their families.

In addition, Go filed Senate Bill No. 2414, or the OFW Ward Act, which would require all Department of Health hospitals nationwide to set aside dedicated wards for OFWs and their dependents. If passed, this would help bring specialized healthcare closer to migrant workers across the country.

The recent international recognition of the OFW Hospital, Go said, is a milestone in the continuity of reforms started under former President Rodrigo Duterte. But for Go, awards are secondary to actual service delivery.

“Awards are good, but what matters most is delivering real services to those who need them the most,” he said.

Also honored at the same event was the DMW’s Anti-Illegal Recruitment and Trafficking in Persons (AIRTIP) Program, recognized as “Campaign of the Year (Labor Category-Philippines)” for its efforts to protect migrant workers from abuse and exploitation.

Go, who has consistently called for stronger protections for OFWs, welcomed the recognition as proof that the Philippines is making progress in instituting reforms for migrant workers.

“We will continue strengthening mechanisms to protect our fellow Filipinos wherever they may be in the world,” Go said.

From pushing for key legislation to supporting specialized infrastructure for OFWs, Senator Go said he remains committed to serving a sector that has long propped up the Philippine economy through sacrifice and hard work.

“With all humility, I hope to be remembered not just as a senator, but as a public servant who always puts the welfare of our people first — especially the poor and the less fortunate,” Go said.

“Hard work, compassion, and more public service — that’s what I can offer to our fellow Filipinos,” he added.