With the growing statistics of Filipinos needing medical attention as a result of the pandemic, Sen. Bong Go had encouraged the poor and vulnerable citizens in need of medical care to maximize the government’s medical and financial assistance programs through the “Malasakit Centers” near their respective areas.
In an interview, Go shared that all members of a family can seek assistance from these centers in many hospitals nationwide even if they have already availed of the services. “You just have to remember this: if you are a Filipino, then you are qualified to seek help in the Malasakit Center. No questions asked, especially if you are a poor and indigent patient,” he noted.
Malasakit Center is a one-stop shop projects where Filipinos can avail themselves of financial and medical assistance from four different agencies of the government: The Departments of Health and the Social Welfare and Development, as well as the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and PhilHealth. There are now 102 Malasakit Centers all over the country.
President Duterte signed in Republic Act 11463 of 2019, otherwise known as the “Malasakit Centers Act of 2019”, which orders the establishment of Malasakit Center in every DOH-run hospital throughout the country. Other public hospitals may also establish their own Malasakit Centers as long as they meet the criteria set by the government to guarantee sustainability of the operations.
The primary aim of the Malasakit Centers is to lessen the patients’ hospital bills to the lowest possible amount by covering several services and expenses. Go also mentioned that social workers are present at each center. They are tasked to assist patients on billing concerns.
“If the fund from the Malasakit Center will not be enough to cover the bill, then the Office of the President could also come in to help”, Go shared in an interview. “You don’t need to go to and line up at different government office locations. The agencies that could help you are housed in one room inside the hospital,” Go stressed.
According to the senator, these Malasakit Centers have helped roughly more than two million Filipinos so far.
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