Poor Boholano patients who have refused to go for treatment in a hospital for the confinement payments and medicine, may now find they have a government that helps them in their bills.
To realize a campaign promise to make health facilities accessible to the poor, no less than Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Lawrence Go led the opening of the country’s 11th one-stop-shop for Filipinos who need medical, financial assistance from various agencies.
Another one center would be opened in Ubay soon.
Called the Malasakit Centers, Bohol’s one-stop-shop opens inside the Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital (GCGMH) in Tagbilaran October 12, 2018 with SAP Go leading hospital authorities and heads of government agencies pooling their resources to prop up the facility for the poor here.
“Every time we fall sick, we do not know where to run. Now, we can go to this Malasakit Center and get help,” SAP Go said.
Malasakit Center is the office that directs us, SAP Go, who had been entrusted by President Rodrigo Duterte to lead the opening of these centers, one that the president lodged in his office.
At times, when relatives of patients need the help of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, of the Department of Health, or the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth), Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) or the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), they use up all the day running through these offices.
The Malasakit Center puts them all in one place, Go was quoted in news reports.
To acknowledge the help of these agencies, Go said, “Salamat kayo sa inyong tabang kay without you, imposible [nga makabarug] ‘ning atong malasakit center.”
This is the people’s money, we gave it back to you, the trusted aide of the president and the pambansang photo bomber during Dueterte’s campaign sorties turned selfie king when Duterte won.
“Malasakit Center is the project of the office of the President and is implemented under the office of the Special Assistant to the President and without the support and cooperation of the different government agencies, this public service office would not come into existence,” Go, who is the president’s go-to-guy, stressed.
Earlier, SAP Go, turned over to hospital deputy chief Dr. Nonaluz Pizzaras a P5 million checque as initial cash aid for the hospital to jumpstart the operations of the Malasakit Center.
Putting the Malasakit Center in Tagbilaran is a decision that came about because Tagbilaran City is strategic, and patients need not cross the sea [to Cebu] to get treatment.
Malasakit Centers have also opened in Cebu, Dumaguete, Maasin, Bacolod, Iloilo, Tacloban, Palawan, Manila, Davao and Pampanga.
Another Malasakit Center would be opened in Ubay, at the Don Emilio del Valle Memorial Hospital in Ubay, according to sources close to SAP Go. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
