SENATOR Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go renewed his push to make essential health services more accessible to Filipinos, particularly those living in remote and underserved communities, as a new Super Health Center was formally turned over in Balo-i, Lanao del Norte last week.
Representing the senator, his Malasakit Team attended the turnover ceremony as part of Go’s sustained efforts to support the establishment of healthcare facilities that bring basic medical services closer to communities.
Go emphasized the crucial role of the Department of Health and local government units in complementing each other’s efforts to ensure that healthcare infrastructure becomes fully operational and does not become useless.
In a message, he said, “Gaya nga ng sabi ko, kapag ang DOH at LGU, ang national at local government, ay nagko-complement at nagtutulungan, mas marami tayong mapapakinabangang proyekto gaya nitong mga Super Health Center. Pag nag-complement sila, maiiwasan natin ang mga white elephant projects.”
Reiterating his commitment to public service, Go added, “Kilala ninyo naman po ako. Wala akong ibang iniisip kundi magtrabaho. Agahan, pananghalian, hapunan, trabaho pa rin. Magseserbisyo ako sa abot ng aking makakaya para sa kapakanan ng bawat Pilipino.”
During the event, Go’s Malasakit Team, in coordination with Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Board) Member Dr. Bob Andot, chair of the Provincial Board Committee on Health and Sanitation, and Mayor Madid Elias Ali, provided food packs, shirts, and pens to barangay health workers.
The senator has been a strong advocate for the nationwide establishment of Super Health Centers, which aim to bridge the gap between rural health units and hospitals.
To date, more than 700 centers have been funded nationwide, including eleven in Lanao del Norte.
These facilities provide a wide range of services, including the Konsulta package, laboratory testing, birthing care, outpatient consultations, dental services, and access to affordable medicines through in-house pharmacies.
As vice chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Go noted that the initiative reflects sustained collaboration among the DOH, LGUs, and fellow lawmakers to bring essential health services closer to communities.
He also highlighted Republic Act No. 11463, which he principally authored and sponsored. The law institutionalized Malasakit Centers nationwide.
Malasakit Centers serve as one-stop shops that consolidate assistance from key government agencies, helping indigent patients reduce their hospital expenses. Since the program’s launch in 2018 and its institutionalization in 2019, 167 centers have assisted more than 17 million Filipinos, according to the DOH.
In Lanao del Norte, Malasakit Centers are located at the Gregorio T. Lluch Memorial Hospital in Iligan City and Kapatagan Provincial Hospital in Kapatagan.
