134th Malasakit Center opens in Talavera, Nueva Ecija as Bong Go continues to pursue better access to healthcare for all Filipinos

As Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Senator Christopher "Bong" Go vowed to continue his pursuit for better access to healthcare for all Filipinos while helping government improve public service delivery amid an ongoing health crisis.

Together with concerned agencies, he joined the virtual launch of the country's 134th Malasakit Center at the Talavera General Hospital in Talavera, Nueva Ecija on Friday, August 6.

This is the 12th Malasakit Center in Central Luzon and the third in Nueva Ecija, in addition to those at the Eduardo L. Joson Memorial Hospital and the Dr. Paulino J. Garcia Memorial Research and Medical Center, both in Cabanatuan City, which opened in 2019 and 2020, respectively.

Recounting his experiences working with underprivileged patients in Davao City when President Rodrigo Duterte was still mayor, Go spoke of the need to address the financial hardships that patients face so they can receive needed medical attention.

"Nung mayor pa si (Pangulong Duterte), marami po ang lumalapit sa kanya sa (Davao) city hall na nanggagaling pa as far as General Santos, Zamboanga, o Surigao para humingi ng tulong sa kanilang pampa-ospital. Sabi ng (Commission on Audit), hindi daw pwede gamitin ang pera ng Davao City dahil hindi sila residente," Go said in his speech.

"Kaya doon ko nakita 'yung puso ni Pangulong Duterte sa mga mahihirap. Dahil hindi n'ya po matiis na tanggihan itong mga pasyenteng ito, dahil para sa kanya, Pilipino rin po ang mga ito... sabi niya -- hanapan mo ng paraan 'yan. Hindi na ako uupo dito sa City Hall kung hindi ko sila matulungan. Doon ho nag-umpisa 'yung konseptong Malasakit Center," he further narrated.

"Sabi ko, bakit ba natin pinapahirapan ang mga kababayaan natin? Hirap na nga sila at may sakit, pinapahirapan pa. Sa totoo lang, pera naman ng lahat 'yan. Dapat ibalik ng gobyerno ito sa mga Pilipino sa pamamagitan ng maayos, maaasahan at mabilis na serbisyo," he continued.

To address this, Go, in his first six months as Senator, principally authored and sponsored the bill that became Republic Act No. 11463, otherwise known as the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019.

The said Malasakit Centers Act aims to make medical assistance programs more accessible by putting concerned agencies under one roof, including the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

"Hindi niyo na kailangan pumila o umikot pa sa iba't ibang opisina para humingi ng tulong pampagamot. Nasa isang kwarto sa loob ng ospital na po. Lapitan niyo lang, inyo po iyan. Ang Malasakit Center ay para sa mga poor at indigent patients," he said.

"Pakiusap sa hospital management... huwag niyo pababayaan ang mga mahihirap nating kababayan, lalo 'yung mga helpless, hopeless at walang matakbuhan... Lubusin niyo ang pera ng gobyerno para sa mga mahihirap. At kung may maitutulong ako sa inyong ospital, magsabi lang kayo," he added.

Meanwhile, Go reminded eligible residents to get their COVID-19 vaccines so they will be better protected from the coronavirus.

"Importante na bakunado kayo para maiwasan niyo ang mga severe na sintomas ng sakit kung ma-infect man kayo. Kaya 'wag kayo matakot sa bakuna. Matakot kayo sa COVID-19 dahil ito ang nakakamatay. Gaya ng sabi ng mga eksperto, if you're not protected against COVID-19, the virus will itself find you and infect you," he exhorted.

"Natutuwa akong ibalita sa inyo that the country achieved a milestone yesterday where it administered 710,482 doses in just one day! Masaya kami ni Pangulong Duterte dahil marami na ang gustong magpabakuna kaysa noon," said Go.

This brings the total doses administered in the country to close to 23.2 million, of which more than 10.7 million individuals are already fully vaccinated while almost 12.5 million Filipinos have received their first dose as of August 5.

To help hospital staff overcome the challenges while they continue to fulfill their duties, the Senator's team distributed meals, food packs, vitamins, masks and face shields to a total of 364 medical frontliners as well as 39 indigent patients after the ceremony.

"Sa lahat po ng mga frontliners - sa lahat po ng mga doctors, nurses, medtechs... maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat. Salamat po sa inyong sakripisyo sa panahon ngayon. Hindi po nababayaran ang inyong sakripisyo," he said.

Some medical frontliners were also given shoes while others were provided bicycles. Select hospital workers also received computer tablets to help their children pursue their education.

"Rest assured po kami ni Pangulong Duterte ay handang sumuporta sa inyo. At ako, bilang inyong senador -- kung ano po ang mga hinaing ninyo o gusto ninyong iparating, patuloy po akong tutulong sa inyo sa abot ng aking makakaya. At patuloy n'yo rin po akong magiging tulay kay Pangulong Duterte," he assured.

The DSWD additionally handed out financial assistance to patients in need and 175 rank-and-file hospital employees, including janitors and security guards, in a separate distribution.

The ceremony was attended by 1st District Representative Estrellita Suansing, Talavera Mayor Nerivi Santos-Martinez, Secretary Michael Lloyd Dino of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, and Medical Center Chief Dra. Maria Gallardo, among others.

As Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go has also supported the funding of numerous infrastructure projects to help boost economic opportunities in Nueva Ecija.

Among these include the improvements of various roads and bridges in Cabiao, General Tinio, Pantabangan, Zaragoza and Cabanatuan City; construction of a reinforced bridge in Palayan City; improvement of flood mitigation structures in General Tinio, Quezon, San Antonio and Zaragoza; improvement of the CLSU road network; among others.

Go likewise supported the construction of multi-purpose buildings in Gabaldon, Santa Rosa, and Cabanatuan City; construction of an evacuation center in General Mamerto Natividad; improvement of public markets in General Tinio and Sto. Domingo; and completion of the Dr. Paulino J. Garcia Memorial Research and Medical Center in Cabanatuan City.

"Gusto ko talagang pumunta diyan sa inyo. Paumanhin lang po dahil maraming bawal kasi ECQ po ang Metro Manila... Pinupuntahan ko lahat pati 'yung mga nasusunugan kahit saang sulok ng Pilipinas. Iyan po ang ipinangako ko sa inyo," he said.

"Gusto ko pong makapagbigay ng solusyon sa inyong mga problema at makapag-iwan po ng kaunting ngiti sa panahon ng inyong pagdadalamhati. Nakakawala yan ng aming pagod... kami ni Pangulong Duterte napapagod rin po kami subalit kayo po ang nagbibigay ng lakas sa amin na harapin ang krisis na ito at makapagserbisyo pa ng husto para sa kapakanan ng bawat Pilipino," he assured.