ILAGAN CITY, Isabela — Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go visited Isabela to show his support for the Bambanti Festival 2024 celebration on Jan. 25.
Go, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, emphasized the essential role of Malasakit Centers in developing the country’s healthcare sector.
“We now have 158 Malasakit Centers across the country, including two in Ilagan and Santiago,” Go said.
The senator cited of his commitment to create 18 Super Health Centers (SHC) in Isabela Province, with the goal of increasing people’s access to government health services.
One SHC has already been built in Mallig, Isabela. Another in Echague will soon begin construction, with the senator attending the groundbreaking for the project on the same day.
The projected Super Health Centers, which look like medium-sized polyclinics, smaller than a hospital and larger than a rural health unit, will provide a wide range of services.
SHCs prioritize offering database administration, outpatient treatment, birthing, isolation, and diagnostics on laboratory x-rays, dental treatments, pharmacies and a variety of minor medical services.
The senator stressed these centers prioritize primary care, consultations, and the early detection of diseases. They are designed to bring government medical services closer to the people, particularly in remote areas where they are most needed.
Other Super Health Centers will be erected in the municipalities of Cabatuan, Naguillian, Sto. Tomas, San Manuel, San Agustin, San Isidro, Jones, Luna, Maconacon, Divilacan, San Mateo, Palanan, Ramon, Reina Mercedes, San Guillermo and Santiago City, he said.
He went on to remark that it would help decongest local hospitals. “There can be early detection of diseases and immediate primary care so that the disease does not spread and patients no longer need to be taken to the hospital,” he said.
The third priority program, Go said, is to build a specialty center in each Department of Health (DOH) hospital in the country.
“It’s a priority program of President Marcos and a multi-year plan of the DOH. The measure passed the Senate with a unanimous vote of 24-0,” the senator stressed.
Go underscored the importance of devolving specialized medical services and bringing advanced healthcare closer to people in the provinces. Each specialist center will focus on a distinct specialty, bringing services from Metro Manila institutions such as the Heart Center, Lung Center, and National Kidney and Transplant Institute closer to the villages.
As Chairman of the Committee on Sports, the senator also encourages young people to participate in sports and get away from drugs. Basketballs and volleyballs were then distributed to the spectators.
In his continued efforts to improve healthcare accessibility, particularly at the grassroots level, Go has championed these three significant health programs aimed at bringing government medical services closer to Filipino populace in need, his office said in a statement.
Go reaffirmed his commitment to Isabela’s people, offering free transportation for patients requiring transfers to Metro Manila. ”Patuloy akong tutulong sa abot ng aking makakaya,” he said.
The senator is the primary author and sponsor of Republic Act No. 11463, or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which established the program and has benefited millions of Filipinos.