Senator Lawrence Bong Go on Thursday, June 2, handed over a P50 million check to Davao Oriental Governor Nelson Dayanghirang as an additional fund for his pet project Malasakit Center at the Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center in Mati City.

The fund being sourced out from the Office of the President is a big boost to the Malasakit Center here as it will help ease the financial burden of healthcare costs on patients and their families, according to Governor Dayanghirang. The program significantly lessens the time and money being spent by poor patients and their families in seeking medical and financial assistance from the different government agencies.

Senator Go, who chairs the Senate’s health committee, says providing a proper healthcare system to the public is a priority of the Duterte administration. He says that the government will not hesitate to spend for the health of the Filipino people. “Thus, we continue to invest in programs and projects to support the achievement of our health priorities. We also revisited relevant policies and operational concerns to help bring healthcare closer to the people. I am aware that there is still much that needs to be done to improve our health care system. We must rid the system of corruption while at the same time increasing government investments so our people can truly enjoy universal health care’s benefits,” says Senator Go.

He said that in Cebu alone, his program has already benefitted at least 500,000 patients. “We have already institutionalized the program. Before I became senator, we put up 34 Malasakit Centers. Now that I am already a senator, we are able to increase that number to 151 Malasakit Centers all over the country,” says the senator.

The Malasakit Centers being a brainchild of Senator Go are a one-stop centers that integrate medical and financial assistance provided by the Department of Health, PhilHealth, Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

During the ceremony, however, the senator distributed grocery packs, livelihood assistance, computer tablets, shoes, bicycles, watches and shirts for patients and personnel of the Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center. By Ferdinand Zuasola | Photos by Mark Oliver Alvite