A week after his Malasakit Center bill was signed into law, Senator Bong Go joined the launch of the 54th Malasakit Center in the country at the Margarito Duavit Memorial Hospital (Rizal Provincial Hospital -Binangonan Annex) in Binangonan, Rizal.
Initiated by Go to aid Filipinos in need of swift government medical services, the Malasakit Center is a one-stop shop that streamlines the provision of medical and financial assistance from concerned government agencies and offices.
“Nandidiyan na po ang apat na ahensiya ng gobyerno na handang magbigay sa inyo ng tulong,” the legislator said in his speech. The said agencies are the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
“Noon kailangan pa ninyong pumila sa iba’t ibang opisina. Ubos na ang panahon ninyo, ubos pa ang pamasahe ninyo. Ngayon dahil may Malasakit Center na tayo, magtutulungan (ang mga ahensiya ng gobyerno) para sa inyo,” the lawmaker also said.
“Zero balance po ang target ng Malasakit Center,” the senator added.
He also said that senior citizens and persons with disabilities will be prioritized in the centers through an express lane.
The Malasakit Center in Binangonan is the 25th to open in Luzon. The office covers patient services and expenses such as laboratories, medicines, surgeries or operations, with the exemption of professional fees and private room accommodation.
The process of seeking assistance has also been simplified through the Malasakit Unified Form, which means there is only one form to fill up for Filipinos requesting assistance.
“All DOH-run hospitals will now get their own Malasakit Centers.”
During the visit, Go also shared that all DOH-run hospitals will now get their own Malasakit Centers with the enactment of Republic Act (RA) 11463 by President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Tuloy-tuloy po ito sa lahat ng mga DOH-run hospitals. Ayon po sa batas, 73 na DOH-run hospitals ay lalagyan ng Malasakit Center,” he further explained.
Go added that the law allows local government units (LGUs) to establish Malasakit Centers provided that they meet the standards and criteria to ensure sustainability and consistency in the services provided by the centers.
“We have set criteria para sundin nila para hindi po bungi-bungi ang mga Malasakit Center,” he stressed.
As for its other functions, Malasakit Centers will also provide patient navigation and referral to the health care provider networks. The centers would also serve as a hub for patient information with regards to membership, coverage and benefit packages in the National Health Insurance Program.
“We are a step closer towards making quality health care more accessible and affordable for all Filipinos.”
The center will also document, process and utilize data from patient experience through a standardized form in order to shape institutional changes in the hospital and provide capacity building and performance evaluation that may ensure good client interaction.
“With the Malasakit Center Act in place to complement the Universal Health Care Law, we are a step closer towards making quality health care more accessible and affordable for all Filipinos, especially the indigent and poor patients in need of medical assistance from the government,” he said in one his interviews.
“Pera niyo po ito. Ibinabalik lang sa inyo sa pamamagitan ng mabilis, maayos at maaasahang serbisyong medikal para sa lahat ng Pilipino,” Go added.