The team of Senator Christopher "Bong" Go visited Buenavista, Guimaras last August 29 to provide assistance to its poor residents.
In a video message, Go emphasized the pivotal role of health infrastructures for the residents of the town and its neighboring areas.
The senator's team, in partnership with Mayor Samuel Gumarin, distributed assistance to 530 indigents in the town. The assistance included masks while select recipients received shirts, shoes, mobile phones, and balls for basketball.
Moreover, personnel from the Department of Social Welfare and Development provided assistance to the beneficiaries.
As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Go underscored the significance of the Super Health Center in Buenavista as a crucial step towards enhancing public service delivery, particularly in terms of basic healthcare services.
He personally attended the groundbreaking of the said center last May.
The Super Health Centers will offer basic health services, including database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy and ambulatory surgical unit. Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service, oncology centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation center, and telemedicine, through which remote diagnosis and treatment of patients are made possible.
“Ang kagandahan nito early detection at magagamit ito sa pagkokonsulta and it will help decongest the hospital dahil pwede na pong gamutin dito. At ilalagay po ito sa mga strategic areas. So inilagay nila sa isang lugar kung saan po’y makaka-access ‘yung mga kababayan natin, hindi na nila kailangan pang magbiyahe pa ng malayo. Pwede na pong gamutin dito, early detection mas maganda po ‘yon para hindi na lumala ang sakit ng mga pasyente,” Go said.
In Guimaras, Super Health Centers will be built in Jordan and Nueva Valencia, in addition to the one in Buenavista.
With a commitment to improving the lives of his constituents and the nation at large, Go also recognized the pivotal role that regional specialty centers will play in transforming healthcare accessibility and quality.
As the principal sponsor and one of the authors of newly enacted Republic Act No. 11959, Go explained that the law will provide for the establishment of specialty centers within existing regional hospitals. It also outlines the specific service capabilities that the Department of Health (DOH) will implement to accomplish this.
“Nakakuha ito ng 24-0 na boto sa Senado dahil sa pagsang-ayon ng aking mga kasamahan na makakabuti ito para sa lahat at makakatulong sa mahihirap, nasaan man sila sa ating bansa at anuman ang katayuan nila sa buhay. Ito ay simbolo ng ating pagkakaisa para sa kapakanan ng bawat Pilipino,” said Go.
“Ang Regional Specialty Centers Act ay isa sa mga prayoridad na batas ng kasalukuyang administrasyon at bahagi ng una at ikalawang State of the Nation Address ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. Isinulong po natin ito bilang tayo ang Chair ng Senate Committee on Health, at bahagi ng ating adhikain na mapangalagaan ang kalusugan ng bawat Pilipino—lalung-lalo na ang mga mahihirap, hopeless, helpless at walang malalapitan maliban sa gobyerno,” he continued.
Meanwhile, Go also offered support for residents seeking medical treatment by informing them about the presence of a Malasakit Center at the Dr. Catalino Gallego Nava Provincial Hospital (Dr. CGNPH) in Jordan town.
The Malasakit Centers Act, principally authored and sponsored by Go, mandates all DOH-run hospitals and Philippine General Hospital in Manila City to establish their own centers. The goal of these centers are to conveniently aid impoverished patients by covering various medical services and charges on their hospital bills.
Currently, there are 158 Malasakit Centers spread across the country. Since the inception of the first center five years ago, these facilities have benefited over seven million Filipinos nationwide, as reported by DOH.
Apart from healthcare improvements, Go's commitment to enhancing public services extends to infrastructure projects. As vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go supported the completion of seawall protection and the construction of a farm-to-market road in the town.
