Go’s palugaw in public hospitals continues

Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go has continued his “Palugaw ni Mr. Malasakit” initiative, serving meals to patients, watchers and healthcare workers in public hospitals nationwide from 1 to 6 September.

The program covered hospitals in Metro Manila, Luzon and Mindanao. In the capital region, it reached Novaliches District Hospital, Las Piñas General Hospital and the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa City.

In Luzon, beneficiaries included facilities in Bulacan such as the Ospital ng Lungsod ng San Jose del Monte, Rogaciano M. Mercado Memorial Hospital in Santa Maria and Joni Villanueva General Hospital in Bocaue.

Other hospitals were Aurora Memorial Hospital in Baler, Cainta Municipal Hospital and Margarito Duavit Hospital in Binangonan, Southern Tagalog Regional Hospital in Bacoor and San Pablo General Hospital in Laguna.

In Mindanao, meals were distributed at Lianga District Hospital and Bislig District Hospital in Surigao del Sur, Dr. Jorge P. Royeca Hospital in General Santos City, Davao del Sur Provincial Hospital in Digos City and Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City.

These hospitals are among those equipped with Malasakit Centers, which bring together government medical assistance into one location. The presence of the centers highlights efforts to make healthcare more accessible, while the feeding program aims to provide comfort and ease the burden of patients and caregivers.

As chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Go authored and sponsored Republic Act 11463, or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which institutionalized the program. Today, 167 Malasakit Centers operate nationwide, assisting millions of Filipinos with their medical needs.