Bong Go thanks colleagues for supporting 13 hospital bills passed on second reading in the Senate which aim to help address gaps in the healthcare system in critical localities

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go thanked his fellow senators for supporting on second reading the 13 local hospital measures aimed at improving, developing, and establishing public hospitals in different parts of the country.

In an interview after the launch of the 114th Malasakit Center in Batangas Medical Center in Batangas City, Go described the plight of many Filipinos who had to endure difficult situations in hospitals due to the current limitations of the healthcare system.

"Ako po ay nagpapasalamat sa mga kasamahan ko po sa Senado, including the minority, sa tulong po nila na maisabatas na itong mga hospital bills," said Go.

"Alam ko po ang sitwasyon sa baba, alam ko po na naghihirap ang mga kababayan natin. Ako po ang bumababa at alam ko po ang sitwasyon, mga pasyente nakahilera po diyan sa labas ng ospital. Nagmamakaawa, isang kama, dalawang pasyente," Go said.

With the local hospital measures a step closer to being passed in the legislative branch, Go said that these could help address the present gaps and limitations of the country's healthcare system especially in critical localities.

"Minsan po, 400% occupancy rate (ang isang ospital). Paano gagaling ang pasyente n'yan? Ang target nga natin hindi umabot sa 100% dahil kapag umabot sa 100%, bagsak ang healthcare system natin," said Go.

"Kaya hindi ko po titigilan, 'di po ako titigil na ipaglaban po ang lahat ng hospital bills. Lahat po ng makakatulong sa mahihirap po, handa po akong magserbisyo sa inyo," he added.

Meanwhile, Go, who is chair of the Senate Committee on Health, explained that there were many factors that contributed to the time it took to finalize these bills prior to reaching the Senate plenary. Among these, according to Go, include the many COVID-19 cases recorded the past months including Senate employees and workers in various government agencies.

Go added that his committee had to make sure that complete documentary requirements are submitted in support of these bills before he could report them out to the plenary.

"Ako naman po, bilang chair, nagmamadali po ako. Pero kailangan po mag-comply sa requirements po. Halimbawa po sa isang hospital bill, sa LGU kailangan po walang objection ang LGU at meron silang pangsuporta doon sa ospital. Kung hindi po nila i-sumite ang mga requirements, hindi po uusad 'yan, so wala po sa akin ang dahilan kung bakit hindi umusad 'yan," he pointed out.

"Nais ko pong linawin na hindi natin tinutulugan ang trabaho... Kung kulang ang requirements tulad ng resolution mula sa LGU at pag-aaral ng iba't ibang mga ahensya, hindi rin maisasabatas ang mga ito. Baka ma-veto pa ng Pangulo at masayang lang ang pinagpaguran ng sponsor at kapwa niyang mga mambabatas," he added.

Go emphasized that he is simply fulfilling his duty as a Senator by following the right process and ensuring that legislative measures are properly studied and vetted.

"Sa totoo lang, marami rin naman akong mga nai-file na bills na hindi pa nga nadidinig ng ibang committees mula noong nagsimula ang 18th Congress hanggang sa ngayon. Pero kailangan kong respetuhin na diskresyon 'yan ng Committee Chair. Alam ng mga mambabatas iyan," he said.

Para sa akin, walang tulog ang pagseserbisyo. Nagtatrabaho ako 24/7, kahit anong oras at araw pa 'yan. Basta tama at sang-ayon sa polisiya, ayaw kong may papatay-patay sa trabaho dahil sa bawat oras na sinasayang natin, buhay ng ating mga kababayan ang nakasalalay rito," he added.

Go, then, said that he will continue to dutifully perform his responsibilities as senator in fulfillment of his and President Rodrigo Duterte's promise to provide the Filipino people the kind of service they deserve.

"'Di ba sinabi naman ni Pangulo noong 2019, walang tulog ang serbisyo kay Bong Go. So, ibig sabihin ang bisyo ko po ay magserbisyo sa ating kapwa Pilipino. Kahit saang sulok kayo ng Pilipinas, pupuntahan ko kayo, makapagbigay ng konting tulong, solusyon sa inyong problema, makapag iwan ng konting ngiti sa panahon ng inyong pagdadalamhati," he assured.

"Sa mahihirap po, ipaglalaban ko kayong lahat," he ended.

These measures include bills increasing the bed capacity of Lying-in Clinic in Rizal Palawan; Naguilian District Hospital in Naguilian, La Union; Rosario District Hospital in Rosario, La Union; Sinait District Hospital in Sinait, Ilocos Sur; East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City; and the Mayor Hilarion A. Ramiro Sr. Medical Center in Misamis Occidental.

Other bills that passed second reading include measures establishing the Bacolod City General Hospital in Bacolod, Negros Occidental; Eastern Pangasinan Regional Medical and Trauma Center in Rosales, Pangasinan; Davao Occidental General Hospital in Malita, Davao Occidental; and the Neptali Gonzales Hospital in Mandaluyong City.

Bills converting the Medina Extension Hospital in Medina, Misamis Oriental into a general hospital; and the Schistosomiasis Control and Research Hospital into the Governor Benjamin T. Romualdez General Hospital also passed second reading.

Another bill increasing the bed capacity of the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center in Tacloban City also hurdled the second reading in the Senate plenary.