Concluding a series of activities in Bataan, Senator Bong Go visited the town of Mariveles and personally spearheaded a relief operation for more than a hundred disadvantaged residents on Thursday, 2 February, as part of his efforts to help provide Filipinos a more comfortable life.
Go and his team mounted the relief operation at Barangay Alasasin covered court where they gave away relief items, such as grocery packs, vitamins, masks, meals, and shirts to a total of 307 individuals.
Furthermore, the senator gave away cellular phones, bicycles, shoes, watches, and balls for volleyball and basketball to selected individuals.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development also extended financial support through its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program.
“Galing po ako kanina sa Orion at nag-turnover tayo ng mga pabahay doon at bago po ako pumunta dito sa Mariveles ay bumisita rin tayo sa bayan ng Limay. Napakaganda talaga dito sa Bataan. Kaya naman kung anong tulong ang maibibigay ko sa abot ng aking makakaya ay tutulong din po ako dito sa Mariveles,” expressed Go in his speech.
Still in line with his advocacy to bring medical services closer to the Filipinos, the senator also joined the ribbon-cutting of the Super Health Center of the town, led by the Department of Health and the local government of Mariveles.
Services offered in Super Health Centers will include database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray and ultrasound), pharmacy and ambulatory surgical unit. Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat service, oncology centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation center and telemedicine, where remote diagnosis and treatment of patients will be done.
Apart from Mariveles, there will also be Super Health Centers that will be strategically located in Dinalupihan, Bagac, Hermosa, Morong, Orani, and Samal.
Go, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, then took the opportunity to encourage those with underlying health issues to seek the services of the Malasakit Center at the Mariveles Mental Wellness and General Hospital.
Designed to be a one-stop shop for particularly poor and indigent patients, the Malasakit Center brings together concerned agencies, such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, under one roof to provide convenient access to medical assistance programs.
Aside from MMWGH, there is another Malasakit Center in Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center in Balanga City. To date, there are 154 Malasakit Centers that have helped millions of Filipinos nationwide. Go is the principal author and sponsor of the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019.
“Batas na po yan na isinulong ko noon (at) pinirmahan ni (dating) pangulong (Rodrigo) Duterte. Para po yan sa poor and indigent patients, para po yan sa Pilipino. Wala pong pinipili ang Malasakit Center, basta Pilipino ka, qualified ka,” Go cited.
Go likewise extended his support to several projects to improve public service delivery in the town. These include the construction of several multipurpose buildings, construction of flood control structures in Barangay Biaan, and the acquisition of three ambulance units and medical equipment.
Earlier that day, Go joined the National Housing Authority and witnessed the turnover of housing units to fire victims in Orion which he aided in 2019. He then proceeded to the town of Limay where he attended the groundbreaking of Oval Sports Facility, provided assistance to its indigents, and visited several of the projects he supported.