Go’s Malasakit Center bill hurdles House

Entrance to a Malasakit Center (Photo from an RTVM video)

MANILA, Philippines — The bill institutionalizing Malasakit Centers in all Department of Health (DOH) hospitals and the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), a pet bill of pro-administration Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, has hurdled the House of Representatives.

The House on Monday approved on third and final reading House Bill No. 5477 with 185 affirmative votes and one negative vote and seven abstentions.

Only Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman expressed opposition to the bill.

In explaining his “no” vote, Lagman said Malasakit Centers “indubitably duplicate” what is already being performed by PhilHealh and DOH.

He also noted that institutionalizing Malasakit Centers would need additional funds amounting to P300 million annually.

Lagman likewise claimed the House measure, which was only a substitute bill, is a “carbon copy” of Go’s version in the Senate.

He further said the bill was crafted and introduced to the plenary without the approval of the sponsoring House health committee.

“Consequent to the importuning of the concerned senator for the House of Representatives to approve a version completely identical to his bill in the Senate in order to foreclose a bicameral conference committee,” Lagman said in his speech.

He earlier slammed the alleged “railroaded” second reading approval of the bill, claiming that the measure was approved with only a “handful” legislators present in the plenary.

The Albay lawmaker also claimed that House members were not given an “adequate” opportunity to scrutinize the proposed measure as House members were likewise not recognized to introduce individual amendments or to question the bill.

READ: Lagman hits ‘railroaded’ House approval of Malasakit Center bill

Lagman also claimed that the bill was different from the version the committee approved under Committee Report No. 76, and the lawmakers debated on during second reading approval.

The Senate approved its version of the measure, Senate Bill No. 1076, which was authored by Senator Go, last week Monday, Nov. 11.

If enacted into law, Malasakit Centers would be formally included in the programs of DOH to complement the universal health care program.

All hospitals run by DOH will be required to put up Malasakit Centers, which would serve as one-stop shops to indigent patients. They would be able to access medical and financial aid from the DOH, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, and the Office of the President in one place.

Edited by JE