Go visits indigent patients in Kalinga

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SEN. Bong Go visited the Malasakit Center at Kalinga Provincial Hospital in Tabuk City, Kalinga, on Monday, July 14, reaffirming his continuing advocacy to bring government medical services closer to Filipinos, particularly the poor and marginalized. 

The center was established under Republic Act (RA) 11463, also known as the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, for which Go was the principal author and sponsor. 

As chairman of the Senate Health Committee, Go’s visit aligns with his oversight responsibilities to ensure access to medical assistance programs, particularly for low-income and indigent patients, as mandated by law. 

“We should return the money to the people. That is the Malasakit Center. That is why it is a one-stop shop. That is the law,” said Go.

He said the Malasakit Center’s assistance will continue “because it is the people’s money; it is the Filipinos’ money. That is why I will continue to support as much as I can so that the Malasakit Centers Law is correctly implemented.”

As of now, 167 Malasakit Centers are operational across the country, poised to assist with patients’ medical expenses. 

The Department of Health (DOH) reports that the Malasakit Centers program has already provided aid to more than 17 million Filipinos. 

In his interaction with hospital staff and patients, Go underscored the purpose of the Malasakit Center initiative: “The Malasakit Center aims to make it easier and faster to get medical help through a one-stop shop where the DOH, DSWD, PhilHealth, and PCSO come together.” 

Go’s presence at the Kalinga Provincial Hospital was also a gesture of solidarity with the people of Kalinga and a recognition of the efforts of the health care workers on the ground. 

Throughout his visit, he emphasized that the Malasakit Center law is not merely about providing aid, but about prioritizing the welfare of the most vulnerable sectors of society, especially in terms of their medical needs. 

Before visiting the Malasakit Center, Go also visited the newly inaugurated Super Health Center in Tabuk City, another initiative of his aimed at expanding the reach of primary care services, particularly at the grassroots level. 

In line with the broader health care agenda, Go also highlighted his push to make specialized care more accessible to all regions through RA 11959, also known as the Regional Specialty Centers Act. 

As the principal sponsor and one of the authors of RA 11959, Go stated that the law mandates the establishment of regional specialty centers within existing DOH regional hospitals nationwide, thereby bringing specialized medical care closer to Filipinos in the regions. 

After his engagements in Tabuk City, Go participated in a meet-and-greet with community leaders, who were invited by Lubuagan’s former mayor Chao-ig Malannag and former vice mayor Jun Saclag. 

There, he reiterated his consistent goal of ensuring that no Filipino is left behind when it comes to health and essential public services. 

Earlier that day, Go was presented with Resolution 250, series of 2025, by the Sangguniang Panlungsod, formally recognizing him as an Adopted Son of Tabuk City. 

He was given the name “Charutag,” which in the Kalinga dialect means “with solicitude” or “with deep care and concern.”

The name reflects the senator’s tireless compassion and service to his fellow Filipinos. The declaration of the senator as “Son of Tabuk” also serves as an expression of gratitude from the people of Tabuk for the services he has brought to the city in times of calamity, health crises and economic hardship.