66TH MALASAKIT CENTER. Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go explains to attendees the services available in the new Malasakit Center at the Eversley Child Sanitarium and General Hospital in Mandaue City, Cebu on Tuesday (Feb. 25, 2020). Republic Act 11463, or Malasakit Center Act of 2019, mandates the establishment of Malasakit Centers in all 73 Department of Health-run hospitals in the country and at the Philippine General Hospital. (Contributed photo)
CEBU CITY – Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Tuesday led other government officials in opening the 66th Malasakit Center in the country which is located at Eversley Child Sanitarium and General Hospital in Mandaue City, Cebu.
Go in his speech reiterated his commitment to improve the capacities and capabilities of public hospitals to cater to the needs of their communities in conjunction with the intention of Republic Act 11463 or Malasakit Center Act of 2019 which aims to make hospitalization accessible without fear of the billing.
“Zero balance is the target of Malasakit Center,” Go said in mixed Cebuano and English.
Go is the chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography and main author of the law that mandates the establishment of Malasakit Centers in all 73 Department of Health (DOH)-run hospitals in the country and at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH).
Under the law, public hospitals run by local government units may also have their own Malasakit Centers provided they meet the standards and criteria set by its implementing rules and regulations (IRR) which was recently signed.
These standards were put in place to ensure sustainability of operations and consistency of the quality of service of Malasakit Centers around the country.
“Sisiguraduhin natin na hindi bungi-bungi ang serbisyo ng gobyerno. Hindi na po kailangan pumunta sa iba't ibang opisina. Sa Malasakit Center, iisang kwarto na lang po pupuntahan para makahingi ng tulong na pampagamot ang mga nangangailangan (Let’s make it sure there are no gaps in government service. There’s no more need to go to different offices. In Malasakit Center, those in need can go to just one room to seek for medical assistance),” he said.
Go assured that all the Filipinos can seek assistance in these Malasakit Centers.
“Basta Pilipino ka, pwede ka makakuha ng tulong sa Malasakit Center,” he added.
Go shared the Malasakit Center aims to help patients or their representatives save time and resources, while it also gives priority to persons with disabilities and senior citizens.
Rep. Emmarie "Lolypop" Ouano-Dizon of the 6th District in Cebu said she is elated that the long-dreamed Malasakit Center for Mandauehanons is now open.
Ouano-Dizon said patients from Mandaue will no longer need to go to the first Malasakit Center in the country at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center as the Eversley's center is now open to process their medical assistance.
Eversley also caters to medical needs of residents from neighboring towns in the sixth district.
Also present during the opening were Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Secretary Michael Lloyd Dino, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, DOH-Central Visayas Regional Director Jaime Bernadas, and hospital officials and staff.
Meanwhile, Go said he filed Senate Bill 1226, or the proposed DOH Hospital Bed Capacity and Service Capability Rationalization Act of 2019, that aims to ‘expedite the process for improving the capacity and capability” of the hospitals.
If this bill becomes a law, the DOH will be given the authority to set and approve bed capacity and service capability of the 73 DOH-retained hospitals.
Go expressed dissatisfaction under the current regulations where a government-owned hospital can only increase its bed capacity through an act of Congress.
“Ang tagal masyado. Ang dami pang kailangang daanan (It’s too slow. It needs to pass various processes),” Go said, adding there should be a better and faster way for government to improve the capacities and capabilities of its public health institutions.
Go also lamented the situation where hospital beds have been lining up outside the government hospitals, while two patients are jam-packed in one bed.
“Paano gagaling ang pasyente? Masikip. Magkakahawaan pa ‘yan diyan (How can a patient recover? Too crowded. They might infect each other),” he added. (PNA)
