Bong Go aids vulnerable residents and fire victims in Imus, Cavite; reiterates support for the establishment of specialty centers nationwide

Following the inspection of a Super Health Center in the town, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go and his team, on Wednesday, February 8, provided assistance to fire victims and struggling residents in Imus, Cavite.

Held at the Imus Sports Complex, Go’s team distributed food packs, vitamins, masks, and meals to a total of 500 indigent residents and 85 families victimized by a fire incident. Select beneficiaries also received bicycles, cellular phones, old and new pairs of shoes, balls for basketball and volleyball, shirts, watches, and bags.

Meanwhile, personnel from the Department of Social Welfare and Development provided the residents with financial assistance as part of a whole-of-government effort to assist Filipinos in crisis situations. Representatives from the National Housing Authority also conducted an assessment to determine those who are eligible for housing assistance under their Emergency Housing Assistance Program.

In line with his commitment to protect the well-being of Filipinos, Go, as Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, also offered to help those in need of medical care. He also noted how the country’s healthcare system struggled due to the global health crisis.

“The more na dapat natin i-improve ang atin healthcare system dahil hindi natin alam kung ito na ba ang huling pandemya na darating sa buhay natin,” he said.

Go then reiterated his support for President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s call to establish specialty centers outside Metro Manila. He added that the creation of these specialty health facilities is one of the optimal solutions to address the gaps in healthcare across the country.

“‘Yung mga specialty centers, priority rin po ng atin Pangulong Bongbong Marcos para ‘yung may mga heart problems halimbawa ay ma-operahan po sa mga probinsya. ‘Yan po ang atin layunin na ma-improve pa ang ating healthcare system sa buong bansa,” he said.

The establishment of specialty centers is among the health-related legislative agenda contained in the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 signed by Marcos.

In the meantime, the senator informed the beneficiaries that there are Malasakit Centers at Southern Tagalog Regional Hospital in Bacoor City and General Emilio Aguinaldo Memorial Hospital in Trece Martires City where they may conveniently access the government’s medical assistance programs.

A brainchild of Go, the Malasakit Centers program establishes one-stop shops in all Department of Health-run hospitals, and in the Philippine General Hospital in Manila, to ensure that medical assistance programs are within the reach of particularly poor and indigent patients. To date, there are 154 Malasakit Centers nationwide.

The Malasakit Center program will celebrate its fifth year anniversary this month.

Go also underscored the need to improve public healthcare services to ensure that more disadvantaged Filipinos will receive the medical attention they need, especially those in rural areas.

In this regard, the senator, as an adopted son of CALABARZON, vowed to support the establishment of more Super Health Centers in the region and the whole country.

“Mayroon pa akong isang inisyatibo, ‘yung Super Health Center. ‘Yan po ‘yung ilalagay sa buong Pilipinas sa strategic areas. Pwede po manganak, dental (services), laboratory, isolation, ‘yan po ang Super Health Center,” said Go.

“Para po sa kababayan natin, mas malaki lang po s’ya sa rural health unit, mas maliit sa ospital, a medium type of a polyclinic. ‘Yan po ang aking inisyatibo ngayon bilang Chair ng Committee on Health,” he explained.

Super Health Centers are medium versions of polyclinics and are bigger than rural health units, which offer basic services such as out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy, and ambulatory surgical unit.

Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service, oncology centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation center and telemedicine, where remote diagnosis and treatment of patients will be done.

In Cavite, the government budget for 2022 funded the establishment of Super Health Centers in the cities of Bacoor, Dasmariñas, General Trias and Imus as well as in the towns of Carmona, Kawit, Magallanes and Tanza. This year, more such centers will be built in Alfonso, Gen. Mariano Alvarez, Rosario, and Tagaytay.

Go, who also serves as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, has also supported various road improvements in the cities of Cavite, Dasmariñas, General Trias, Imus and Tagaytay; rehabilitation and improvement of the municipal fire station in Noveleta; rehabilitation of covered courts in various barangays in General Trias City; acquisition of ambulance units for the local government of Indang and Trece Martires City; and the improvement of a sports facility in Cavite State University in Indang.

“Sana po ay masaya kayo ngayong hapon na ito pag-uwi n’yo ng bahay. Ingat po kayo parati at mayroon lang po akong sasabihin sana po ay maalala ninyo po ito sa mahabang panahon: minsan lang po tayo dadaan sa mundong ito. Kung ano po ang kabutihan o tulong na pwede nating gawin sa ating kapwa natin ay gawin na po natin ngayon dahil hindi na po tayo babalik sa mundong ito,” shared the senator.

Prior to the relief activity, Go inspected the progress of the Super Health Center in Imus. Earlier that day, he also aided fire victims in Quezon City.