Senator Christopher “Bong” Go has reiterated his call for lawmakers to pass more laws meant to strengthen the country’s healthcare and medical services delivery system, citing lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Go urged fellow legislators to continue supporting specific measures that would upgrade existing hospitals and build new ones in the countryside.
Go, chair of the Senate Committee on Health, earlier spearheaded the passage of 24 laws upgrading some existing medical institutions and setting up new public hospitals across the country.
Last April 19, President Duterte signed into law four measures establishing hospital in Tayabas City, Quezon; Calbayog City, Samar; Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija; and Candon City, Ilocos Sur.
More recently, the President enacted 11 similar bills passed by the legislature under Go’s stewardship, creating new hospitals or improve existing ones in Abulug, Cagayan; Bocaue, Bulacan; Villanueva, Misamis Oriental; Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao; Cagayan de Oro City; Cebu City; Daraga, Albay; Jolo, Sulu; Santa Barbara, Iloilo; San Fernando City, La Union; and Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo.
“Now that we have heard reports of new Covid-19 variant, it would be better to boost Our healthcare system,” Go said.
Even before the pandemic, beds are lacking in public hospitals,” Go noted.
Go also filed Senate Bill No. 2158 which establishes the Philippine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC shall serve as the lead agency for developing communicable disease control and prevention initiatives. It will be primarily responsible for controlling the introduction and spread of infectious diseases in the Philippines.
He likewise filed SB 2155 which establishes the Virology Science and Technology Institute of the Philippines (VIP).
The institute would serve as the country’s principal laboratory for virology research, laboratory investigations, and technical coordination of the nationwide network of virology laboratories.
Another notable measure that Go primarily authored and sponsored is the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which mandates all hospitals administered and managed by the DOH, plus the Philippine General Hospital, to establish their own Malasakit Centers to provide convenient access to medical assistance programs by the government.
On Labor Day, May 1, the senator joined President Duterte to personally inspect the first-ever Overseas Filipino Workers Hospital in San Fernando City and attend the groundbreaking for the Pampanga Provincial Hospital-Clark in Mabalacat City, both in the province of Pampanga.
Meanwhile, Go and Duterte led the inauguration of the new Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital on May 4 in Manila City.