Go’s ‘Malasakit’ initiative gives teen ‘new lease on life’

SEN. Christopher “Bong” Go’s Malasakit Center initiative is a significant support system for Filipinos needing medical assistance. An illustration of this initiative’s impact is the story of 16-year-old Eugene Benz Cajandig from Koronadal City, South Cotabato, whose life took a positive turn, thanks to the senator’s intervention.

Eugene was diagnosed with dextro-transposition of the great arteries, ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect and pulmonary stenosis. These conditions necessitated specialized medical intervention, highlighting the immediate health care needs of patients like him.

His mother, Hazel Cajandig, shared their family’s ordeal, noting the difficult decisions they faced due to the initial prognosis and the financial implications of Eugene’s condition.

“We didn’t pursue the operation [he was still a baby then] because he was only given a 40 percent survival rate at that time. The doctor advised us to return when he is already a year old,” she recounted.

“However, we failed to return after a year. We brought him back to the doctor after two years, and we were told that he was already late for total correction,” added Hazel.

The delayed return for treatment further complicated Eugene’s condition.

At 2 years old, Eugene suffered a stroke, leading to partial paralysis and necessitating regular phlebotomy sessions to manage his condition. This medical setback not only emphasized the severity of his congenital heart defects but also the emotional and financial toll on his family.

During the Tnalak Festival in South Cotabato in July last year, a crucial moment occurred when Hazel approached Go for assistance. Go’s response to Eugene’s case through the Malasakit Centers initiative was crucial.Through the intervention of the Malasakit Center, Eugene was granted a new lease on life — a chance to undergo life-saving surgery at the Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City. This critical procedure, which once seemed financially impossible for his family, was completed.

Malasakit Centers bring together representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Health (DoH), the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. These onestop shops aim to support impoverished patients in reducing their hospital costs to the least possible amount.

Go is the principal author and sponsor of Republic Act (RA) 11463, or the “Malasakit Centers Act of 2019,” which institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program.

Currently, 161 Malasakit Centers are operational nationwide. The DoH reported that the Malasakit Center program has already provided aid to around 10 million Filipinos.

Go also principally sponsored and is one of the authors of the RA 11959, also known as the “Regional Specialty Centers Act,” which was signed into law by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in 2023. The law mandates the establishment of regional specialty centers within existing DoH regional hospitals, improving Filipinos’ access to specialized health care.

Hazel expressed deep gratitude to Go, whose intervention marked a significant shift toward hope and recovery for Eugene.