Malasakit Centers mandated by law – Go

SEN. Bong Go on Thursday addressed speculations concerning the continuous operation of Malasakit Centers, saying the running of the facilities was mandated by law.

Go said the centers don't need fundings because they only serve as facilitators for indigent patients to secure money to pay their medical bills from the Department of Health (DOH), the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

Malasakit Centers are one-stop shops that bring together representatives from the said agencies to help poor patients reduce their medical expenses to the lowest possible amount.

"It is mandated by law, it is the right of every poor Filipino to come to a Malasakit Center to get help paying their hospital bills," he added.

Go is the principal author and sponsor of Republic Act (RA) 11463, or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which institutionalized the program.

There are currently 167 Malasakit Centers nationwide.

The DOH said that to date, the program had already helped more than 17 million indigent patients.

Go said that as part of his mission to bring quality health care to Filipinos, 14 super health centers will be built in Pampanga in the next three years.

Go is one of the authors and principal sponsors of RA 11959, or the Regional Specialty Centers Act, which mandates the establishment of regional specialty centers within existing DOH hospitals.