DAVAO CITY — The 47th Malasakit Center in the country just opened at the Davao Regional Medical Center in Tagum City, Davao del Norte.
Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, launched the operanig together with some local government officials in Davao region and representatives from concerned government agencies,
According to Go, more Malasakit Centers will be launched in other areas of the country, particularly in government-run hospitals.
The Malasakit Center in Tagum, is the fourteenth in Mindanao, as it will cater to patients not only in Tagum City but those from nearby cities and municipalities too.
“Lubos po ang aking kasiyahan na bubuksan natin ngayong araw dito sa Davao Regional Medical Center ang ika-47 na Malasakit Center sa Pilipinas at ika-14 sa Mindanao. Isang magandang kaganapan po ito para sa ating mga kababayan na kailangan ng tulong pang-ospital, hindi lang dito sa Tagum kundi maging sa mga karatig nitong lugar,” Go said.
Declaring health as one of his priorities, Go said that he will continue to push and support programs such the Malasakit Center that can provide and further improve access to quality medical services for all Filipinos.
Go shared that the Malasakit Center is a one-stop shop where patients only need to sign a single form to avail of government medical assistance. He clarified that the centers will serve as an office that hosts concerned government agencies that provide medical and financial assistance, such as the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and PhilHealth.
“Ang Malasakit Center ay bahay lang po ito na one-stop shop. Ginawa siyang bahay o kuwarto para lahat ng pasyente doon na pupunta para matulungan,” Go said.
Go explained that the medical and financial assistance provided in Malasakit Centers will come from the budget of concerned agencies with programs for poor and indigents patients.
“Yang medical assistance, sa program po iyon sa DOH na i-download dito, para rin po yun sa lahat dito sa ospital na nangangailangan ng tulong. It’s a medical assistance program, iba rin ‘yung galing kay Presidente Duterte na subject to liquidation, iba rin yung sa apat na ahensiya ng gobyerno,” the senator explained.-PR