The city government of Taguig launched its own one-stop hospital service center where residents can avail of medical and financial assistance.
Mayor Lino Edgardo Cayetano led the launching of Malasakit Center at the Taguig-Pateros District Hospital where patients can access representatives from pertinent government offices and process papers free of charge.
The center, which is an inter-agency one-stop service facility within government hospital, features streamlined processes and, more specifically, the use of a standard form that patients can fill out conveniently.
The inter-agency effort originated in the Office of the President through the Office of the Special Assistant to the President and Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas and also involves the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. and local government units like the City of Taguig.
“We continue with our commitment to serve our people with the Malasakit Center, a presidential mandate that has exemplified our very effort to make our services more responsive to the needs of Taguigeños. We always seek to deliver people-centered services, so we had no problem identifying with the center,” said Cayetano.
The establishment of the facility is based on the Malasakit Center Act signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in December last year. The term “malasakit” translates to concern in English.
“One great feature to admire about the Malasakit Center is its ability to eliminate fixers and corruption in general from processes,” said Cayetano.
In doing so, the program has helped LGU-operated hospitals address issues on revenue generation and patient congestion, among others.
“Malasakit Centers have made sure funds would go to those who are truly in need,” the Taguig chief executive added.
Present during the launching last Wednesday was Senator Christopher Go who reiterated that the primary goal of Malasakit Centers is to provide quick and quality access to health care to all Filipinos.
Go initiated the program when he was still President Duterte’s special assistant with the hope of gathering under one office all agencies that give financial and medical help to the poor.
At the Malasakit Center, patients can avail of PhilHealth services and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office’s “At Source Ang Processing.” The Department of Health and the hospital can subsidize selected medical services. Indigent patients may also claim medical assistance.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development can offer non-medical assistance.
Furthermore, a Malasakit Fund can grant subsidies to patients in need.
All processes are free of charge, a huge relief especially for indigent patients needing medical support.
The Malasakit Center in TPDH adds to the target of 74 centers to be established nationwide, including 28 centers in hospitals operated by local government units.
Among the hospitals now offering the service are the Philippine General Hospital in Manila, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu, the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center in Tacloban, the Western Visayas Medical Center in Iloilo, Ospital ng Palawan in Puerto Princesa, and Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in Bacolod.