After his personal visit to Bataan, Senator Bong Go had his outreach teams continue three separate distribution activities for the indigents of Limay, Orion, and Mariveles in Bataan.
Held at Limay Multipurpose Hall, Kamalig Sports Complex in Orion, and Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office in Mariveles, Go’s staff provided relief items, including masks and shirts to a total of 978 struggling residents.
Meanwhile, select beneficiaries likewise received shoes, cellular phones, and balls for basketball and volleyball.
In addition, a team from the Department of Social Welfare and Development handed out separate financial assistance.
“Kaya magtulungan ho tayo dahil hindi po kaya ng gobyerno kung wala ang inyong kooperasyon.”
“Palagi ko pong pinapaalala na patuloy lang ang ating malasakit sa kapwa dahil sino pa nga ba ang magtutulungan kundi tayo lang kapwa nating Pilipino, kaya magtulungan ho tayo dahil hindi po kaya ng gobyerno kung wala ang inyong kooperasyon,” underscored the legislator in his video message.
The lawmaker likewise urged those with health concerns to visit nearby Malasakit Centers at Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center in Balanga and at Mariveles Mental Wellness and General Hospital where they can conveniently access medical assistance programs from the government.
A brainchild of Go, the Malasakit Centers program was initiated in 2018 and has just marked its fifth year anniversary this month.
Once he became senator, he successfully pushed for the institutionalization of the program under Republic Act No. 11463, which he principally authored and sponsored, and was subsequently signed by former president Duterte in 2019.
Since its inception, the program has assisted more than seven million poor and indigent patients nationwide. To date, there are 154 centers established across the country.
The centers are one-stop shops that houses all relevant government agencies that offer medical assistance programs, such as the DSWD, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.
“Ang Malasakit Center po ay handang tumulong po sa inyo.”
“Ang Malasakit Center po ay handang tumulong po sa inyo. Para po ‘yan sa mga poor and indigent patients. One-stop shop na po ‘yan para hindi niyo na kailangan pumila o umikot pa sa iba’t ibang mga opisina. Lapitan niyo lang po ang Malasakit Center diyan po sa inyong lugar,” Go stressed.
In line with his vision to provide the poor with better access to health services, he likewise supported the establishment of Super Health Centers in Dinalupihan, Bagac, Hermosa, Morong, Orani, Samal, and Mariveles — the last one’s ribbon cutting having been personally attended by Go.
These Super Health Centers offer 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 (EENT) service, oncology centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation center and telemedicine, where remote diagnosis and treatment of patients will be done.
“Sa pag-iikot ko sa bansa, napansin ko na kakaunti lang talaga ang ating health facilities, lalo na sa maliliit at malalayong mga lugar. Minsan po yung iba ay nanganganak na lang sa tricycle dahil sa layo ng ospital,” he shared.
“Huwag sana natin hayaan na mangyari pa yon. Kaya talagang isinusulong ko ang pagkakaroon ng Super Health Centers. Pinili at inilagay ito ng DOH sa strategic areas. Pagkatapos nito, it will be managed and it will be turned over na sa local government unit,” noted Go.
Go, who serves as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, also supported several projects in the province, including the construction of a drainage canal in Abucay and Dinalupihan; the construction of Orani District Hospital with 150-bed capacity; construction of multipurpose buildings in Bagac, Balanga City, Dinalupihan, Hermosa, Limay, Orion and Pilar; acquisition of ambulance units in Pilar and Samal; and construction of a slaughterhouse in Hermosa.
