THE Malasakit Center program, known for bridging the gap between patients and medical care, provided necessary assistance to a struggling Cavite family.
Raul Dorado's experience, at 59 years old and formerly employed as a utility worker in Dasmariñas, Cavite, reflects the core and compassion of the Malasakit Center, an initiative spearheaded by Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go.
His story is one of many examples of how the program meaningfully assists Filipinos with health-related difficulties while giving them hope for a healthier future.
Raul shared that he began experiencing severe abdominal pain in 2016, a condition that progressively worsened.
After a series of medical consultations revealed a significant health issue, Raul faced a daunting journey of treatments and hospital visits.
The financial and emotional burden of Raul's condition weighed heavily on his family. His wife recounted their struggles: "He tried to continue working for the sake of his children, but he was compelled to stop working when he could no longer walk and forced to stay in bed."
Their plight worsened when hospitals hesitated to release him due to unpaid bills.
Their turning point came with the Malasakit Center at the Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center in Manila City.
These centers, located in various hospitals nationwide, aim to reduce a patient's financial burden by pooling resources from the Department of Health (DoH), Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine Health Insurance Corp., and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.
Go is the principal author and sponsor of Republic Act (RA) 11463, or the "Malasakit Centers Act of 2019," which institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program.
Currently, 159 Malasakit Centers are operational nationwide, poised to assist with patients' medical expenses. The DoH reports that the Malasakit Center program has already provided aid to around 10 million Filipinos.
Raul expressed his profound gratitude to Go and the Malasakit Center: "We are fully thankful to Sen. Bong Go, who is always ready to help the poor like me."
He hopes the program will continue to support those struggling with medical crises.
For his part, Go said that his vision for the Malasakit Centers extends beyond providing aid and focuses on the collective efforts of the government to promote compassion and solidarity in times of crisis.
Aside from Malasakit Centers, Go also principally sponsored and is one of the authors of RA 11959, also known as the "Regional Specialty Centers Act," which was signed into law on August 24.
The law mandates the establishment of specialty centers within existing DoH regional hospitals, which will provide specialized health care closer to all regions nationwide.
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