SENATOR Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go personally launched the 50th Malasakit Center at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) which is expected to serve indigent patients all over Luzon.
“The initial P5 million that we gave for the Malasakit Center of BGHMC came from the Office of the President. Once this budget has been used and fully liquidated, this will again be refunded. The medical assistance for indigent patients, on the other hand, will have a separate P5 million budget for a total of P10 million to be managed by your chief of hospital through the help of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development and Phil Health,” Go said.
Go added the Malasakit Center aims to provide quality health care service to Filipinos is a one-stop shop that aims to help Filipinos acquire more accessibly financial medical assistance, aside from making the process simpler for Filipinos to seek assistance from the four different government agencies.
Aside from BGHMC, Go also discussed with Benguet Governor Melchor Diclas the possible establishment of a Malasakit Center at the Benguet General Hospital.
“I filed a Senate Bill institutionalizing Malasakit Center to set a criteria having the four agencies of government. If this would be a local government initiative, there would be a criteria to be followed, there should be a house complete with the rooms, furniture, computer systems and social workers which will operate and manage these Malasakit Centers while for DOH run hospitals, Malasakit Centers will automatically be established,” the senator said.
Go added that some 73 more Malasakit Centers will be established in the country.
Doctor Ricardo Runez, BGHMC Chief of Hospital, welcomed the establishment of the Malasakit Center in Baguio City which is expected to help patients coming from the different areas in Luzon.
“This Malasakit Center will serve patients in this part our country very well specially those patience not having the capacity to pay for medicines and other health care needs. Before, when the Malasakit Center was still not established, patients had no choice but to shell out for the lacking health related needs which sometimes makes them loose hope because they could not afford for their health care needs but with this Malasakit Center, we are positive that our indigent patients will now be served,” Runez said.
BGHMC does not only serve patients in Cordillera but also from other Luzon provinces particularly in the north.