Bringing health services closer to the people
The proximity of essential governmental services to the general public is a crucial factor in ensuring the welfare of our people. The people establish governments as a form of social contract such that the government must provide the necessary services for the common good.
As the chair of the Senate Committee on Health, I authored and sponsored the Republic Act No. 11463, or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, signed by then-president Rodrigo Duterte. Today, we are celebrating the 6th anniversary of the Malasakit Center. According to the Department of Health, our efforts have led to the creation of 159 Malasakit Centers nationwide that have assisted around 10 million patients. This program continues to assist fellow Filipinos, indigent patients, in getting the health services they need with the help of the medical assistance programs from the four agencies of government, which are consolidated and made easily accessible in Malasakit Centers as mandated by law.
I also actively pushed for funding to construct more Super Health Centers nationwide to make primary care, medical consultations, and early disease detection more accessible in communities, particularly farflung areas. Through our efforts in coordination with DOH, LGUs, and fellow lawmakers, more than 700 Super Health Centers have been funded nationwide.
Furthermore, I principally sponsored and is one of the authors of the Republic Act 11959, also known as the Regional Specialty Centers Act, which mandates the establishment of regional specialty centers within existing DOH regional hospitals nationwide. This will bring specialized medical care closer to Filipinos from all regions.
I continue trying my best to push for more health measures geared towards promoting the welfare and needs of our Filipino people, regardless of their geographic location or economic background. Recently, I also filed Senate Bill No. 2539 for the expansion of the bed capacity of the Philippine General Hospital to respond to the growing demand for medical services from the country’s premier tertiary hospital.
Then and now, it is important that we bring government services closer to our people in need, with compassion and sincerity of service to those who need government attention the most. That is also why I and my
Malasakit Team continue to visit our distressed fellow Filipinos, wherever they are, to provide relief, address their struggles, and leave a smile on their faces amid their challenges.
Aside from health, education is also essential in development.
The previous week, we attended the Scholars’ Recognition Day at the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA in Calamba City, Laguna. Through our initiative, we have given scholarships to
132 students from the Tulong Dunong Program of the Commission on Higher Education. After this, we inspected the Calamba City Super Health Center, where we distributed aid to the barangay health workers and residents.
The Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory in Mindanao Heart Institute at SPMC Davao City was also inaugurated last week. My Malasakit Team attended the official celebration of the Cancer Warrior PH Campaign, where we were given a recognition plaque as “cancer warrior” at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute in Quezon City.
Given the challenges we face as a country, let us all work together to ensure that the health and well-being of every Filipino is protected and taken care of. As a public servant referred to by many as Mr. Malasakit, I will continue to live by that name by sharing the utmost compassion for those in need. Like I always say,
“According to the Department of Health, our efforts have led to the creation of 159 Malasakit Centers nationwide that have assisted around 10 million patients.
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Given the challenges we face as a country, let us all work together to ensure that the health and well-being of every Filipino is protected and taken care of.