Sen. Bong Go opens 157th Malasakit Center

CEBU, Philippines — Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go has graced seven different events in Cebu Friday.

First, Go personally inspected the Super Health Center in Cordova, Cebu, followed by a relief activity to assist struggling residents in the town.

After the inspection, Go and his team proceeded to the Cordova Sports Complex where they handed out food packs, face masks, vitamins, snacks, shoes, and shirts to 1,000 beneficiaries. They also gave away bicycles, cellphones, and balls for basketball and volleyball to select beneficiaries.

The 1,000 beneficiaries also received P3,000 each under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. The ceremonial distribution was led by the senator.

The senator proceeded to Toledo City for the groundbreaking of the Super Health Center, which is a project of the senator.

“Itong Super Health Centers, nakita namin kung gaano kalaki ang naitutulong nito sa komunidad lalo na sa rural areas. ‘Yun po ang layunin ng mga Super Health Centers, ang ilapit sa mamamayan ang serbisyong medikal ng gobyerno,” Go said.

The Super Health Centers provide various medical services such as database management, outpatient care, birthing, isolation, and diagnostic services like x-ray and ultrasound. They also offer pharmacy and ambulatory surgical units, as well as additional services such as EENT, oncology centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation, and telemedicine, which allows for remote diagnosis and treatment of patients.

Go said there are now 307 Super Health Centers in the country built in 2022 and an additional 322 will be constructed this year.

Go went to Toledo City Sports Center to lead the distribution of financial assistance to 1,000 individual beneficiaries of DSWD’s AICS including persons with disabilities PWDs), who also received personal gifts from the senator including foodpacks, snacks, facemask, vitamins, clothing and calendars.

The senator, dubbed as Mr. Malasakit, officially led the launching of the 157th Malasakit Center in the country and the 7th in Cebu located at the Cebu City Medical Center together with Mayor Michael Rama and some local officials.

Since it was first established in 2018 at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, it has benefitted over 7 million poor and indigent Filipinos in their hospital and medical needs.

A total of P20 million from the Office of the Senator was downloaded to CCMC for such purposes.

The senator made a special instruction to the CCMC management that the poor and indigents must be given a priority.

Aside from VSMMC and CCMC, the other five Malasakit Centers in Cebu are situated at St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital in Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City District Hospital in Lapu-Lapu City, Eversley Childs Sanitarium and General Hospital in Mandaue City, Cebu South Medical Center in Talisay City, and Cebu Provincial Hospital in Carcar City.

Go has initiated the Malasakit Centers program in 2018. It was later institutionalized under Republic Act No. 11463, which was principally authored and sponsored by Go in the Senate.

Going to his sixth event, Go once again led the distribution of financial assistance through DSWD’s AICS.

The fire victims of Sapangdaku and Inawayan in Cebu City totaling 108 families received P10,000 each as well as personal assistance from the senator.

Capping off his official visit in Cebu, he graced the general membership assembly of the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Cebu City. (FREEMAN)