Go opens Malasakit Center in Las Piñas

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Bong Go led the opening of the country’s 146th Malasakit Center at the Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center on Wednesday.

This is the first Malasakit Center in Las Piñas and the 30th in Metro Manila.

Go vowed to help improve the capabilities of public hospitals to give indigent patients better access to healthcare services.

“In my 20 years in public service kasami si Pangulong Duterte, nakita ko araw-araw ‘yung mga problema ng bansa. Maraming mahihirap ang pumupunta sa Davao noon para humingi ng tulong sa kanilang pampa-ospital,” Go said in his speech.

“So when I became a senator, I pushed for the passage of the Malasakit Centers Act with the help of Sen. Cynthia Villar and Las Pinas Rep. Camille Villar. Target nito ay zero balance para wala nang babayaran ang mga mahihirap,” he added.

The center aims to reduce a poor patient’s hospital bills by covering medical services and expenses, pursuant to Republic Act 11463, which Go authored in 2019.

The center is a one-stop shop where poor patients can seek medical assistance from four government agencies: the Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Philippine Health Insurance Corp. and the social welfare department.

Under the law, all government hospitals run by the DOH are mandated to establish a Malasakit Center.

Go, chairman of the Senate committee on health, reminded public hospitals to prioritize the welfare of the poor.