Bong Go joins inauguration of new Super Health Center in Naval, Biliran; provides additional support to thousands of poor residents

PHILIPPINES, December 1 - Press Release
November 30, 2024

Bong Go joins inauguration of new Super Health Center in Naval, Biliran; provides additional support to thousands of poor residents

To bring essential services closer to communities, on Friday, November 29, Senator Christopher "Bong" Go led the inauguration of the new Super Health Center in Naval, Biliran, and assisted impoverished sectors in the town.

"Maraming salamat po sa inyo dahil sa pagkakataon na inyong ibinigay sa akin upang makapagserbisyo sa inyo. Hinding-hindi ko po sasayangin ang pagkakataon na binigay ninyo. Iyan lang po ang maiaalay ko sa inyo, ang aking kasipagan sa pagserbisyo," Go said.

"Mayroon lang po akong sasabihin sa inyo at tandaan po natin ito. Minsan lang tayo dadaan sa mundong ito. Kung ano pong kabutihan o tulong na pwede nating gawin sa ating kapwa ay gawin na natin ngayon dahil hindi na tayo babalik sa mundong ito. Iyan po ang totoo," he added.

Go emphasized the significance of building more Super Health Centers as part of his continued efforts to enhance healthcare accessibility in communities.

"Sa mga itinayo na Super Health Centers, nakita namin kung gaano kalaki ang naitutulong nito sa komunidad, lalo na sa rural areas. 'Yun po ang layunin ng mga Super Health Centers, ang ilapit sa mamamayan ang serbisyong medikal ng gobyerno," he said.

The Super Health Centers can significantly help reduce hospital occupancy rates while bringing basic medical services closer to the grassroots. These healthcare facilities offer primary care, medical consultation, and early disease detection, further strengthening the healthcare sector at the community level.

Through the concerted efforts of Go, fellow lawmakers, the Department of Health (DOH) led by Secretary Teodoro "Ted" Herbosa, and local government units, adequate funding was allocated for establishing more than 700 Super Health Centers nationwide, including three in Biliran.

The senator expressed gratitude to the DOH and the local government for their diligent efforts in making the Super Health Center a reality. He specifically thanked Congressman Gerardo Espina Jr., Governor Gerard Roger Espina, Vice Governor Brigido Caneja III, League of Municipalities of the Philippines Biliran President and Naval Mayor Gretchen Espina, and Vice Mayor Vicente Curso Jr.

Meanwhile, barangay health workers received various forms of support on the same day through the concerted efforts of Senator Go and the local government.

Furthermore, 2,617 residents composed of barangay health workers, barangay nutrition scholars, transport workers and typhoon victims gathered at the Biliran Province State University Gym and Naval Municipal Gym to receive additional support from Go, such as food packs, snacks, vitamins, masks, shirts, foldable fans, basketballs, and volleyballs. Some of them also received shoes, mobile phones, bicycles, and watches.

In partnership with the local government of Naval, led by Mayor Espina, financial support was also provided to identified indigent sectors.

Go offered additional aid to individuals with medical needs and advised them to avail themselves of assistance provided by nearby Malasakit Centers located at Biliran Provincial Hospital (BPH) which he also visited that day.

Malasakit Centers are one-stop shops for medical assistance programs aimed at helping impoverished patients reduce their hospital costs to the least possible amount. Go is the principal author and sponsor of Republic Act No. 11463, or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program.

Currently, 166 Malasakit Centers are operational nationwide, assisting patients with their medical expenses. The DOH reports that the program has already benefited over 15 million Filipinos.

"Ako ang inyong Senator Kuya Bong Go na patuloy na magseserbisyo sa inyong lahat sa abot ng aking makakaya dahil bisyo ko ang magserbisyo at ako po ay naniniwala na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo po 'yan sa Diyos. Salamat po at bukas ang aking opisina para sa inyong lahat," Go concluded.

On the same day, Go also visited the Malasakit Center at the BPH and inspected the construction of an auditorium stage at the Biliran Capitol Grounds, a project he supported as vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance.