Major public hospitals in Eastern Visayas now have ‘Malasakit Centers’
TACLOBAN CITY—All major public hospitals in Eastern Visayas now have their own “Malasakit Centers” after the opening on Aug. 20 of a facility at the Immaculate Conception Hospital (ICH) in Baybay City.
In a video message, Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, who is behind the establishment of the Malasakit Centers, said poor patients from the city and nearby areas could now be assured of medical assistance without going to other hospitals.
Go, chair of the Senate health committee, also gave P3,000 to each of the 59 patients at ICH and its 159 employees.
Baybay City Mayor Jose Carlos Cari expressed gratitude to Go for heeding his request for the city to have its own Malasakit Center.
Malasakit Centers also operate at the Northern Samar Provincial Hospital in Catarman; Samar Provincial Hospital in Catbalogan City; Eastern Samar Provincial Hospital in Borongan City; Biliran Provincial Hospital in Naval; Salvacion Oppus Yñiguez Memorial Provincial Hospital in Maasin City; Leyte Provincial Hospital and Leyte Provincial Hospital in Palo, Leyte; and Ormoc District Hospital in Ormoc City.
Go authored and sponsored the bill that institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program that brings under one roof government offices like the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.
