LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Opening of a Malasakit Center in the province of Benguet is being pressed by ACT-CIS Party-list representative and Benguet caretaker Eric Go Yap.

Yap who shared his plans in the province on Thursday during a visit at Benguet General Hospital said he requested to Department of Health Undersecretary Roger Tong-an the establishment of a Malasakit Center in the province.

“Kapag mayroon tayong malasakit center, madami tayong mapapagamot na pasyente dito,” Yap added.

(If we have a malasakit center, we will be able to treat a lot of patients.)

Malasakit Centers serves as one-stop shop for all medical and financial assistance to indigent and poor patients.

The first Malasakit Center in the Cordillera region was officially launched in the City of Baguio last year.

It was also last year when Republic Act 11463 or the Malasakit Center Act of 2019 was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte which aims to bring down to lowest among possible if not zero-balance, the hospital bill including out of pocket expenditures of indigent Filipinos.

On the same day, Governor Melchor Diclas said that for last year the Provincial Government also requested the Department of Budget and Management P100 million for medical assistance of indigent patients.

He added P50 million for indigent patients was approved. (Lauren Alimondo)