LAGAWE, IFUGAO – – It started from a hand-carried letter to Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go.
Hingyon-based engineer Julio Tindungan sought recently the establishment of a Malasakit Center in Ifugao. He visited the office of Sen. Go in Pasay City.
In a letter dated Nov. 23, Tindungan said folks are in need of a Malasakit Center “in order to maintain their health.”
“Currently, it (Ifugao) lacks hospitals and other vital medical facilities, most especially in far-flung villages,” he added.
These are the primary concerns of Mr. Tindungan in writing the letter. He believes that with a Malasakit Center in Ifugao, his province mates would find access to a hospital easier and will spend less time and money to avail of the benefits of a Malasakit Center. He, likewise, believes that with a Malasakit Center in this upland province, the provincial government’s agenda of promoting a healthy citizenry would be enhanced.
There are three Malasakit Centers in the Cordillera Administrative Region. These are at the Far North Luzon General Hospital and Training Center in Lina, Apayao, Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center in Baguio City and the Benguet General Hospital in La Trinidad, Benguet.
This urgent and timely appeal would guarantee the promotion of the public health care program in Ifugao,” Tindungan told the ZigZag Weekly.
The Malasakit Center program is crafted by the national government and serves as a one-stop shop aimed at reducing to the lowest amount possible the poor’s hospital bills. The current program brings under one roof all government agencies– Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine Health and Insurance Corp. and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office– from which Filipinos can seek medical assistance.
Working towards the improvement of access to quality and affordable health care, Go authored and sponsored the bill and subsequently became Republic Act 11463 or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019. President Duterte signed it on Dec. 3. Go is the chairman of the committee on health.
It covers patient services and expenses such as laboratory examinations, medicines and surgery.
The Malasakit Centers Act of 2019 mandates all government-run hospitals to establish their own Malasakit Centers.
Vice Governor Glenn Prudenciano vowed to support the effort for the establishment of a Malasakit Center in the province. Nonetheless, he disclosed skepticisms on considering the Ifugao General Hospital (IGH) as venue due to budgetary problems. IGH, situated at Barangay North in Lagawe, has largely been not functioning for several years.
Earlier, Board Member Joselito Guyguyon also sounded his backing for the Malasakit Center. He is the chairman of the Ifugao’s Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s committee on health.** **By Anthony A. Araos
