The Office of Senator Bong Go, in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, extended assistance to disadvantaged communities in Gapan City and Peñaranda town in Nueva Ecija.
In a video message, Go reiterated his commitment to support the establishment of more Super Health Centers across the country, considering how they can significantly help reduce hospital occupancy rates while bringing government medical services closer to the grassroots.
“Sa mga itinayo ng Super Health Centers, nakita namin kung gaano kalaki ang naitutulong nito sa komunidad lalo na sa rural areas.”
“Patuloy po akong tutulong sa pagpaparami ng Super Health Centers sa bansa sa abot po ng aking makakaya. Sa mga itinayo ng Super Health Centers, nakita namin kung gaano kalaki ang naitutulong nito sa komunidad lalo na sa rural areas. ‘Yun po ang layunin ng mga Super Health Centers, ang ilapit sa mamamayan ang serbisyong medikal ng gobyerno,” underscored the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography.
Services offered in Super Health Centers include 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.
In 2022, the Department of Health identified the towns of San Leonardo, Rizal, and Santo Domingo as the locations for Super Health Centers in the province. More Super Health Centers were funded this year in the Science City of Muñoz, and the towns of Aliaga, Bongabon, Llanera, and Zaragoza.
Through the collective efforts of fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds had been allocated under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program of the DOH for 307 Super Health Centers in 2022 and 322 SHCs in 2023. DOH, the lead implementing agency, identifies the strategic areas where SHCs will be constructed.
Held at the municipal hall of Peñaranda and city hall of Gapan, Go’s staff distributed snacks, masks and shirts to a total of 49 struggling residents. They also gave away bicycles, cellular phones and shoes to select individuals. Moreover, personnel from the DSWD provided livelihood assistance grants to qualified beneficiaries.
The lawmaker then offered additional assistance to the residents in need of medical attention as he informed them that there are Malasakit Centers in the province that they may visit.
Principally authored and sponsored by Go, the Malasakit Centers Act mandates all DOH-run hospitals, and the Philippine General Hospital, to establish their own Malasakit Centers to conveniently assist poor and indigent patients with their hospital bills by covering various patient services and fees.
There are now 157 Malasakit Centers nationwide, including those at Eduardo L. Joson Memorial Hospital and Dr. Paulino J. Garcia Memorial Research and Medical Center, both in Cabanatuan City, and at Talavera General Hospital in Talavera town.
Since the first Malasakit Center was established five years ago, the centers have helped more than seven million Filipinos nationwide, according to the DOH.
“Lapitan niyo lang ang Malasakit Center at wala itong pinipili.”
“Hindi niyo na kailangan pumila o umikot pa sa iba’t ibang opisina para humingi ng tulong pampagamot dahil nasa loob na sila ng iisang kwarto. Lapitan niyo lang ang Malasakit Center at wala itong pinipili. Karapatan niyo bilang mga Pilipino ang maka-avail ng serbisyo nito,” the senator explained.
In the end, Go, who is an adopted son of Nueva Ecija, lauded the local officials for exerting great efforts to protect the welfare of their constituents and making certain that they are well-supported during crisis situations.
He has also supported numerous initiatives to help promote economic development and improve public service delivery in the province.
Among these are the construction of the Amphitheater at the Talavera National High School; the rehabilitation of roads in Cabiao, General Tinio, Pantabangan, Zaragoza and Cabanatuan City; construction of flood mitigation structures in General Tinio, Quezon, San Antonio and Zaragoza; construction of multipurpose buildings in Gabaldon, Sta. Rosa and Cabanatuan City; completion of the DR. PJGMRMC in Cabanatuan City; reconstruction of the Llanera public market; rehabilitation of the Baloc public market; and installation of streetlights in Zaragoza.
Go’s team provided similar assistance to indigents in Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija.
