Fulfilling a commitment
On 24 November, we launched the 153rd Malasakit Center in the country — a continuing commitment to fulfill a promise of better access to healthcare for our people.
Together with former president Rodrigo Duterte, we simply wanted to bring government’s medical assistance programs closer to those in need, not just in Davao City but also across the country. This led to the inception of the Malasakit Centers program in 2018 when I was the Special Assistant to the President, and later the institutionalization of the program under the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which I principally authored and sponsored as a senator.
Since then, we have established Malasakit Centers from Batanes to Tawi-Tawi to serve as one-stop shops where patients can conveniently access medical assistance programs from relevant government agencies.
What makes the latest installment of the Malasakit Center even more important for us is that it was opened inside our country’s first Overseas Filipino Workers Hospital in San Fernando City, Pampanga, a health facility that we have also long dreamed of for our modern-day heroes which has now become a reality.
The OFW Hospital is a fulfilled promise that serves as a testament to how much we value the sacrifices and contributions of our beloved OFWs. Aside from healthcare services, the facility will carry out research on the prevention, care and treatment of occupational diseases that are common among our OFWs.
Likewise, a dream come true is the creation of our Department of Migrant Workers. I have persistently championed Republic Act 11641 to ensure that our government more efficiently responds to the needs of our migrant workers. Finally, we have a dedicated agency that focuses on the protection, promotion of interests, timely resolution of problems, and effective reintegration of our returning migrant workers.
I feel truly blessed that some of our earliest dreams for our Filipino people have been fulfilled one after another. Looking forward and with President Ferdinand
Marcos Jr. at the helm, I am hopeful that more will come true for the benefit of our country, including the creation of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Medical Reserve Corps, and Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers, as well as the enactment of more measures to strengthen our health system.
Under my Senate Bill 195, our CDC shall serve as the lead agency for developing communicable disease control and prevention initiatives. However, it will not replace our Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, which has been playing a crucial role in our fight against the ongoing pandemic. RITM will still exist with the following functions of providing tertiary care to both in-patients and outpatients suffering from infectious diseases and conducting regular training courses for medical and paramedical personnel in the control of common tropical diseases in the country.
We must also have a Medical Reserve Corps which may be called upon and mobilized to assist the government in addressing the medical needs of the public in times of national emergencies. Those who are deployed should be properly compensated. This is so provided under SBN 1180, which I likewise filed as one of my priority measures.
Meanwhile, I hope we can also soon establish Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers around the country, especially in every region. Drug dependents have been preyed upon by opportunists seeking to take advantage of the downward spiral that inevitably takes place once drug addiction begins. Therefore, we must treat drug dependents as victims in dire need of medical, psychological, and spiritual help, with a chance of being reintegrated into society as healthy and productive citizens. It is for this reason that I filed SBN 428 which seeks to establish the said centers to help our fellow Filipinos take back their lives from the dark grip of dangerous drugs.
In our recently concluded Senate deliberations for the 2023 budget, my proposed additional budgets for the health sector were adopted in the Senate committee report. These include additional budgets for the Health Facilities Enhancement Program to construct and upgrade health facilities; Cancer Assistance Fund; the strengthening of immunization activities of the Department of Health; and medical assistance to financiallyincapacitated patients, particularly for the continuous operations of the Malasakit Centers.
Meanwhile, I continue aiding vulnerable sectors nationwide. On 24 November, I personally assisted 593 indigent students in Minalin, Pampanga followed by the launching of the Malasakit Center while providing assistance to indigent patients and frontliners, an inspection of the San Fernando City Super Health Center and distribution of assistance to 750 indigents.
On 25 November, I was joined by Sen. Robin Padilla in the Davao Region to
“Drug dependents have been preyed upon by opportunists seeking to take advantage of the downward spiral that inevitably takes place once addiction begins.
support 2,500 flood victims in Sta. Maria, Davao Occidental, and 500 indigents in Matanao, Davao del Sur as well as to inspect the latter’s SHC and the inauguration of their new multi-purpose building. I then proceeded to Malalag, Davao del Sur on 26 November to personally help 1,500 more flood victims in the town.
My office, likewise, mounted a series of relief operations, which benefitted 3,333 indigents in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte; 1,666 in Labason, Zamboanga del Norte; 75 in Atok and Bakun, Benguet; 1,116 in Lucena City, Quezon; 1,000 in Rosario, and 500 in Dasmariñas City, Cavite; 389 in Calamba City and 600 in Pila, Laguna; 1,184 in Dapa and 1,200 in Sta. Monica, Surigao del Norte; 926 in Tagoloan and 1,575 in Medina, Misamis Oriental; 1,000 in San Felipe, Zambales; 333 in Orion, Bataan; 876 in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan; and 227 students in Valencia City, Bukidnon. Moreover, livelihood aid were extended to 400 in Candon City, Ilocos Sur, and 37 in San Fernando City, La Union.
Fire victims were also aided, including 19 families in Marikina City; two more in Tacurong City and one in Lebak, Sultan Kudarat; 20 individuals in Medina, Misamis Oriental; and 72 more in Cagayan de Oro City. Likewise helped were 466 flood victims in Cagayan de Oro City;
748 in Valencia City, Bukidnon; 350 in Sulop, 1,000 in Malita, and 200 in Kiblawan, Davao del Sur; 78 in Malungon, Sarangani; 1,333 in Noveleta, Cavite.
With our continued service and with the bayanihan spirit alive, I am confident that our collective dreams for our country and the Filipino people will not be a far-off reality.
“What makes the latest installment of the Malasakit Center even more important is that it was opened inside our country’s first OFW Hospital.