Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, has been steadfast in his commitment to improving healthcare access for Filipinos, particularly for the less privileged.
On Friday, 15 September, he attended the launch of the country’s 159th Malasakit Center at Bislig District Hospital in Bislig City, Surigao del Sur. This new addition brings the total number of Malasakit Centers in the Caraga Region to seven, and to 40 across Mindanao.
The Malasakit Center initiative, a program close to Go’s heart, aims to provide a seamless and expedited process for particularly poor and indigent patients to access government medical assistance programs.
He said these centers serve as a one-stop-shop for healthcare, consolidating various government agencies such as the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office under one roof.
This approach eliminates the need for patients to make multiple visits and fill out extensive paperwork, thereby making healthcare more accessible for Filipinos.
The recent launch at Bislig District Hospital shows the steady progress of healthcare accessibility in the Caraga Region. The Butuan Medical Center in Butuan City, Agusan del Norte, was the first to open in the region on 12 October 2018. It was followed by the Caraga Regional Hospital in Surigao City, Surigao del Norte, on 1 March 2019.