Sen. Bong Go emphasized the importance of embracing the holidays with health and compassion in mind.Go urged Filipinos to embody the spirit of giving and togetherness while adopting health-conscious practices to enjoy the festivities fully.'We Filipinos are known for being very festive people, and we have one of the longest Christmas celebrations in the world. This is the season for coming together, reminding us of the spirit of compassion, giving and rejoicing with our families,' he said.'With rejoicing comes feasts, and we Filipinos love to share our bountiful meals during the long holiday break. As chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, I believe there is no better way to celebrate this season than being healthy and worry-free. That is why we encourage our compatriots to be still mindful of how much and what they eat, get some exercise, and stay fit this season,' he said.Highlighting the accessibility of healthcare services, the senator reiterated the value of programs addressing medical concerns, particularly for the underprivileged.'In the unfortunate event that a medical concern should arise, the programs that we initiated, legislated, or advocated for are in place to make healthcare services more accessible, especially to the poor, such as the continuing operations of Malasakit Centers that provide convenient access to medical assistance; the establishment of Super Health Centers to bring primary care, consultations and early disease detection in grassroots communities; and the creation of Regional Specialty Centers to bring specialized care in every region in the country.'Malasakit Centers are one-stop shops that aim to help impoverished patients reduce their hospital costs as much as possible. Senator Go is the principal author and sponsor of Republic Act (RA) 11463, or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019There are 166 Malasakit Centers nationwide. The Department of Health (DOH) reports that the program has already provided aid to more than 15 million Filipinos.Super Health Centers are designed to focus on primary care, consultation and early detection, further strengthening the country's health care sector, especially in grassroots communities. Municipal health offices, local government units, and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), through its Konsulta program, will handle free consultations.Through the concerted efforts of Go, fellow lawmakers, the DoH and local government units, adequate funding was allocated for establishing more than 700 Super Health Centers nationwide.Go is one of the authors of RA 11959, also known as the Regional Specialty Centers Act. The law mandates the establishment of regional specialty centers within existing DOH regional hospitals.
