Go opens Ecija ‘Malasakit’ center

CARE FACILITY Palayan City Mayor Rianne Cuevas, former presidential assistant Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, Nueva Ecija Gov. Cherry Umali and former Gov. Aurelio Umali attend a ceremony for the establishment of a new Malasakit Center by Go at Eduardo Joson Memorial Hospital. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

CABANATUAN CITY—Former special assistant to the President, Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, on Monday continued his quest to provide free health services for poor Filipinos as he led the inauguration of the 21st Malasakit Center at Eduardo Joson Memorial Hospital here.

He said he was just following the footsteps of President Duterte, who has been helping patients even from outside Davao City who needed medical assistance.

Go, who is running for senator in the May elections and was Duterte’s most trusted aide, said the center would serve as a one-stop shop for all medical needs of Nueva Ecija residents.

Go was accompanied by Palayan City Mayor Rianne Cuevas and Nueva Ecija Gov. Cherry Umali.

“They [indigent patients] are Filipinos and we can’t just ignore [their medical needs],” Go said, noting that the Commission on Audit might disapprove the use of city funds to subsidize the medical needs of patients from other places.

Several government agencies, including the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and local governments, will put up a satellite office at the center to expedite patients’ requests for medical services and financial assistance, Go said.

“Patients and their relatives are usually at a loss and they don’t know where to turn to for assistance. Let’s make the process easier for them,” he said. —ARMAND GALANG