148th Malasakit Center opens in Brooke’s Point

MANILA, Philippines — In line with his commitment to fight for the health care needs of the Filipino people, Sen. Bong  Go attended the virtual launch of the country’s 148th Malasakit Center at the Southern Palawan Provincial Hospital in Brooke’s Point on Thursday.

It is the seventh Malasakit Center in Mimaropa and the third in the province after the Culion Sanitarium and General Hospital, which opened the previous day in a ceremony Go personally witnessed, and the Ospital ng Palawan in Puerto Princesa City.

The senator, who heads the Senate committee on health, hailed the opening of the new centers as an important step toward reducing health care access disparities.

Go recognized the urgent need for better access to medical assistance, noting that many Filipinos cannot afford treatment due to the high out-of-pocket expenses, transportation cost and other payments.

The center is a one-stop shop which streamlines the provision of medical assistance programs of the government, aiming to help particularly the poor and indigents with their hospital bills. Its partner agencies include the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine Health Insurance Corp. and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

”Sa mga pasyente, hindi nyo na kailangang lumabas para humingi ng tulong. Lapitan nyo lang ang Malasakit Center na ito at tutulungan kayo ng mga ahensya ng gobyerno para wala kayong babayaran sa ospital,” Go said.

The senator authored and sponsored the measure Republic Act 11463, which institutionalized the Malasakit Centers as part of the services provided in hospitals run by the Department of Health and the Philippine General Hospital.

The law also allows other public hospitals to open a Malasakit Center provided they can meet the criteria that will ensure the sustainability of their operations.