Bong Go gives hope to young cancer patients

FORMER special assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go urged children afflicted with cancer not to lose hope since there are various forms of assistance available to them to overcome the disease.

Go met with children who finished their cancer treatment in Davao City on Dec. 8, 2018 in an event dubbed “Survivors’ Day.”

He said it was unfortunate that many young cancer patients succumb to the disease because their parents could not afford the high cost of treatment.

“We can all find strength in the knowledge that cancer is treatable and beatable,” Go said.

He said poor patients could now avail themselves of assistance from Malasakit Centers to defray hospital expenses.

“The Malasakit Center is a one- stop shop where everyone can easily avail of financial and medical assistance from government agencies such as the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philhealth and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office,” Go explained.

“To date over 25,000 patients had received assistance from the 17 Malasakit Centers that we had established nationwide,” he said.

It was Go who led the establishment of the Malasakit Centers when he was still serving as the President’s special assistant.

Go said that if he wins a Senate seat next year, he would work to institutionalize the establishment of Malasakit Centers nationwide.

The former Palace official said he would likewise push for the salary increase of nurses and additional benefits for barangay health workers.

“They deserve to be properly compensated because they are essential in the delivery of crucial medical services to the grassroots in keeping our citizens healthy,” he said.

Survivors’ Day was organized by House of Hope Foundation. Arlene Paredes, the foundation’s head of operations, said the activity aimed “to inspire children who are recently diagnosed with cancer and to demonstrate that no matter how difficult the journey can be, childhood cancer is curable even among the poorest and most difficult circumstances.”