Senator Bong Go, together with Councilor Mikey Belmonte, attended the inauguration of yet another multipurpose building and the mWell Medical Para sa Barangay Teleconsultation booth, the funding of both were supported by the legislator, in Barangay Batasan Hills, Quezon City.
“Ako po’y natutuwa sa inisyatibo po ng ating councilor. Mayroon pong libreng konsulta dito, (in) partnership with Premier 101 (Healthcare Management, Inc)… pwede kayong magkonsulta through (telemedicine) na lang,” commended Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance in his speech.
“Napakagandang proyekto po na makakatulong sa mga kababayan natin na hindi na sila kailangang pumunta ng hospital dahil alam naman natin na may COVID pa. Magandang proyekto po ito,” Go continued.
Aimed at bringing healthcare closer to more Filipinos, mWell is one of the country’s first fully integrated digital health platforms designed to provide convenient wellness solutions and health consultations.
The lawmaker also lauded the local government of Quezon City for its efforts to improve the delivery of public service in the community, expressing his optimism that the new public infrastructures will certainly benefit its constituents.
“Pangatlong punta ko na po rito sa Quezon City, noong Friday nandirito rin po kami. Asahan n’yo po na ako po ay magtatrabaho para sa inyong lahat, sa abot ng aking makakaya. Tutulong po ako sa pag-unlad ng inyong lugar,” Go reaffirmed.
“Asahan niyo na aalalay ako sa pag-unlad ng inyong komunidad.”
“To the best of my ability, asahan niyo na aalalay ako sa pag-unlad ng inyong komunidad. Sa mga kababayan natin dito, alam kong mahirap pa rin ang panahon ngayon pero ipagpatuloy niyo lang ang inyong suporta sa gobyerno at tuloy lang din ang malasakit natin sa bawat isa. Tayo ay makakaahon din mula sa krisis na ito,” the senator stressed.
The projects were made possible through the partnership between Quezon City’s District 2 and the private sector.
Medical services that may be sought in the satellite booth will include eye cataract screening; teleconsultations; mobile laboratories with facilities for electrocardiography, urinalysis and x-ray; and house-to-house consultation for bedridden patients, seniors and expecting mothers.
Meanwhile, Go and his team provided snacks, shoes, and balls for basketball and volleyball to select residents during the event.
As Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, he also encouraged the public to avail of medical assistance from any of the 11 Malasakit Centers in the city.
The Malasakit Center is a one-stop shop that houses desk representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office to help particularly poor and indigent patients reduce their hospital expenses to the lowest amount possible.
A brainchild of Go, the Malasakit Centers program was institutionalized under Republic Act No. 11463, which he principally authored and sponsored in the Senate. To date, the 154 operational centers have helped more than seven million Filipinos nationwide.
“Lapitan nyo lang ang Malasakit Center dahil para ‘to sa inyo.”
“Sa mga pasyente, lapitan nyo lang ang Malasakit Center dahil para ‘to sa inyo. Kung may hospital bill kayo, nandiyan ang mga ahensya ng gobyerno na tutulong para mabayaran ito,” Go continue.
Malasakit Centers in Quezon City are located at Lung Center of the Philippines, Novaliches District Hospital, Philippine Heart Center, Philippine Children’s Medical Center, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, East Avenue Medical Center (EAMC), Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC), Philippine Orthopedic Center, National Children’s Hospital, Philippine National Police General Hospital, and Quirino Memorial Medical Center (QMMC).
He also supported the establishment of six Super Health Centers in the city that will be strategically located in Barangays Arsenia J. Maximo, Batasan Hills, Kamuning, Murphy, San Francisco and V. Luna.
Services offered in Super Health Centers include database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy, and ambulatory surgical unit.
Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service; oncology centers; physical therapy and rehabilitation center; and telemedicine, where remote diagnosis and treatment of patients will be done.
Go was instrumental in pushing for adequate funding to ensure that more Super Health Centers are established across the country.
Some 307 SHCs were funded in 2022 through his initiative.
He likewise committed his continued support for the establishment of more SHCs in the country as he has earlier successfully pushed for sufficient funds for the centers in this year’s Health Facilities Enhancement Program of the Department of Health.
Go also sponsored in the Senate the passage of Republic Act No. 11501 in 2020, increasing the QMMC’s bed capacity from 500 to 1,000 beds; and R.A. No. 11561 in 2021, increasing the EAMC’s bed capacity from 600 to 1,000 beds.
He likewise supported the rehabilitation of the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center and VMMC road networks, road and drainage improvement works along the Quirino Highway and P. Dela Cruz Road, construction of an advanced cardiac catheterization laboratory and expansion of the new emergency room building at the EAMC, and construction of a five-story multipurpose building at Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo.
“Bilang inyong senador, asahan niyo pong lagi kong isusulong ang mga proyekto, panukala at adhikain na makakatulong sa bawat Pilipino. Nananawagan po ako na ipagpatuloy natin ang Build Build Build program lalo na kung ito ay para sa ikakaganda at ikakaunlad ng bansa,” Go reiterated.
He also attended the inauguration of two multipurpose buildings in Brgys. Batasan Hills and Commonwealth.
Another multipurpose building in Brgy. Commonwealth was also inaugurated last , led by Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte and Councilor Belmonte. All infrastructures were supported by Go.
