82nd Malasakit Center launched in Santiago City, Isabela; Bong Go says PhilHealth reforms must lead to convictions of corrupt officials and better health services for Filipinos

The country's 82nd Malasakit Center was launched on Friday, September 11 at the Southern Isabela Medical Center, a COVID-19 designated hospital, in Santiago City, Isabela. It is the second Malasakit Center in Isabela and the third in Region 2.

In his speech given through a video call, Senator Christopher "Bong" Go explained that Malasakit Centers are one-stop shops that host concerned government agencies with programs that provide financial and medical assistance to Filipino patients, particularly the poor and indigent.

"Lapitan ninyo lang ang Malasakit Centers para sa mga pangangailangan ninyong pangkalusugan. Para po ito sa lahat ng mga Pilipino, lalo na ang mga mahihirap na nangangailangan ng tulong sa pampagamot. Sisiguraduhin natin na pagdating sa serbisyo mula sa gobyerno, sila ang ating uunahin palagi," he added.

Speaking to the hospital's personnel and local officials, Go called for special attention to the community's most vulnerable members and urged authorities to prioritize the welfare of poor and indigent patients.

"Ang Malasakit Center po ay walang pulitika, basta Pilipino ka, lalo na kung poor and indigent patient ka, qualified ka po sa Malasakit Center," said Go.

"Isa lang po ang ipinagbibilin ko at pakiusap ko sa ating health workers natin diyan, sa mga doctors, administrator ng ospital, unahin po natin 'yung mga mahihirap at mga wala pong ibang matakbuhan, ito po 'yung panahon na hirap na hirap na sila at humihingi ng tulong. Unahin natin at palaging protektahan ang kapakanan nila," he continued.

The Malasakit Center, a brainchild of Go, is a one-stop shop wherein patients may seek financial and medical assistance from various government agencies, namely the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

"Ngayon na may COVID-19, mas lalong kailangan po ang Malasakit Center para tumulong sa mga kababayan natin. Hindi na nila kailangan lumabas pa ng ospital at pumila sa iba't ibang ahensya ng gobyerno hanggang madaling araw pa at d'un po nagkakahawa-hawaan. Sa Malasakit Center, isang opisina nalang na nasa ospital mismo ang pupuntahan nila," explained Go.

The Malasakit Centers Act of 2019 was signed into law by President Duterte last December 3, 2019. It seeks to make all existing government medical and financial assistance programs easily accessible by putting together the concerned agencies under one roof. The measure also aims to bring down to the lowest amount possible the hospital bills of patients seeking the center's services.

"Ngayon, mabilis na po ang proseso natin sa pagbibigay ng tulong. Hindi tulad noong unang panahon na palaboy-laboy pa sila. Hahanapin pa nila ang DSWD. Sa susunod na araw, hahanapin nila ang DOH, PhilHealth at PCSO. Ubos 'yung panahon nila, ubos pa 'yung pamasahe nila sa kakapila para humingi ng tulong," he added.

Meanwhile, Go issued a call for cooperation with the government's investigation into the allegations of widespread corruption in PhilHealth, to ensure conviction of culprits and improved services for all Filipinos.

"Bagama't nakakalungkot po, sa nakaraang araw ay naging issue ang PhilHealth. Alam ko po na marami naman na nagtatrabaho sa PhilHealth na honest at may dedikasyon na magserbisyo sa ating mga kababayan," Go said.

"Please lang po, magtulungan tayo. Ibalik natin ang bawat sentimo na binabayad ng tao sa PhilHealth, lalong-lalo na po sa panahon ng pandemya. Hindi po katanggap-tanggap sa mga Pilipino na may masasayang na pera at ayaw kong dumating sa punto na tatanggi na ang ospital dahil wala nang pera ang PhilHealth," he continued.

The Senator likewise called for solidarity and compassion among Filipinos to ease the burden on medical frontliners amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. He thanked frontliners' for their sacrifices and vowed full government support for the nation's health sector.

"Salamat po sa inyong pagseserbisyo sa inyong mga kababayan. Kayo po talaga 'yung hero ngayong panahon na 'to... Kami po ni Pangulong Duterte ay full support po dito sa inyo at sa abot po ng aming makakaya ay tutulong po kami. Ang importante po ay 'wag natin pababayaan ang ating mga kababayan," Go said, addressing medical frontliners.

As chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Go co-authored and supported the passage of the Salary Standardization Law 5, which further raised the salaries of government civilian personnel, including doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers in the public sector.

Earlier, Go also pushed for the immediate implementation of a Supreme Court decision to finally increase the minimum salary grade of government nurses eighteen years after a law providing such increase was enacted.

"Lalo na ngayon na nasa gitna tayo ng isang pandemya, lahat ng tulong na maibibigay natin sa ating healthworkers ay ibigay na natin ngayon. Isa rin itong pagkilala at pasasalamat sa kanilang dakilang sakripisyo para sa bayan," the Senator previously said.

Finally, Go reiterated that the government must ensure the full implementation of the Universal Health Care Act. He also said that Congress must provide and ensure sufficient funding for healthcare in the 2021 budget to help Filipinos access quality medical services especially amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"Sisiguraduhin naming may sapat na pondo para sa kalusugan. Basta siguraduhin rin ng mga ahensya na walang masasayang at walang mananakaw. Pera po ng taumbayan ito. Dapat ibalik sa kanila sa pamamagitan ng maayos at maaasahang serbisyo na walang corruption," Go emphasized.