Malasakit Centers continue to help indigent patients

“Now in its sixth year, it is fitting that we launched the country’s 160th Malasakit Center last 8 March inside the Davao Occidental General Hospital in Malita town.

Health care is one of life’s necessities that has been difficult for poor Filipinos to access, especially those in far-flung areas. Fearing medical expenses, most are left uninformed about their health issues. This drives me to help make government services, particularly medical assistance programs, closer to Filipinos through the Malasakit Centers program which was institutionalized under Republic Act 11463 that I principally authored and sponsored.

According to data from the Department of Health, Malasakit Centers, which are one-stop shops, have assisted more than ten million Filipinos nationwide. They bring together relevant agencies to provide easy-to-access medical assistance, particularly for the poor.

Now in its sixth year, it is fitting that we launched the country’s 160th Malasakit Center last 8 March inside the Davao Occidental General Hospital in Malita town. There is now at least one Malasakit Center in every province in the Davao Region as part of the 41 Malasakit Centers in Mindanao. There are also 30 in Visayas and 89 in Luzon. Another Malasakit Center is set to be launched in Bocaue, Bulacan, today.

I always envision a better future for my fellow Filipinos with accessible government services, specifically in the health sector. Aside from the Malasakit Centers, we also advocated for establishing Super Health Centers, especially in far-flung areas, to improve healthcare access, focusing on primary care, consultations, and early disease detection. Through our collective efforts with the Department of Health led by Secretary Ted Herbosa, LGUs, and fellow lawmakers, over 700 Super Health Centers have been funded nationwide to bring medical services closer to our people.

Furthermore, I principally sponsored and am one of the authors of the Regional Specialty Centers Act, or RA 11959, which aims to offer specialized medical services across all regions to provide more convenient access to specialized medical services. Through this law, which is principally authored by Senate President Migz Zubiri and a priority of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Regional Specialty Centers shall be established within currently operating regional hospitals under the DoH.

As we strive to improve the country’s public health programs, we continue to deliver services to our fellow Filipinos who need them.

As a public servant, I will continue to do what I can, to the best of my abilities, to help bring government services closer to those in need. I will cherish the trust you have instilled in me as your Mr. Malasakit in delivering compassionate service to the country and my fellow Filipinos.

“I will cherish the trust you have instilled in me as your Mr. Malasakit in delivering compassionate service to the country and my fellow Filipinos.