Senator Christopher “Bong” Go has intensified his call for the government and the Department of Health (DOH) to hasten the establishment of Super Health Centers across the country amid heart‑wrenching stories of medical inaccessibility in the countryside. This came after a local news documentary laid bare the struggles of families in remote areas to access medical services.
The report featured the plight of a family from the mountains of Guihulngan City in Negros Oriental. A two‑year‑old boy named Steve, afflicted with hypoxic‑ischemic encephalopathy, has never been properly treated due to the sheer distance and cost required to reach a doctor.
His mother, Retchilda, gave birth at home because medical facilities were too far, and by the time Steve was brought to a doctor weeks later, the damage had already been done.
Each medical trip meant a grueling four‑hour journey to Dumaguete City for a consultation that the family could hardly afford. Now, a year later, Steve has yet to return for a follow‑up or the MRI scan he urgently needs.
“Magkaisa tayo sa pagpapalapit ng serbisyong medikal sa mga higit na nangangailangan,” Go asserted as he responded to the documentary. “Ang mga kwentong ito ay isang paalala sa atin kung bakit kailangan ang Super Health Centers sa komunidad, lalo na sa mga liblib at nakaliligtaang pamayanan.”
He emphasized that Super Health Centers are designed to focus on primary care, medical consultation, and early detection. These centers are intended to complement rural health units and barangay health stations, making medical services more accessible to communities long neglected by traditional hospital‑based care.
Free consultations will be administered by municipal health offices, local government units, and PhilHealth through its Konsulta program.
Thanks to the concerted efforts of Go, the DOH led by Secretary Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa, and local government units across the country, funding has already been secured for the establishment of more than 700 Super Health Centers nationwide.
It was mentioned during the recent State of the Nation Address that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. aims to increase the number of Super Health Centers nationwide.
Go reiterated the need to bring government services closer to the people, especially when it comes to primary healthcare. He appealed to DOH that aside from expediting the establishment of funded centers, authorities should ensure that such projects are completed on time while also identifying more areas where they are needed especially in LGUs that are capable of managing its operations.
“Isa ito sa matagal na nating ipinaglalaban na mapondohan para mailapit ang pangunahing serbisyo medikal sa mga mahihirap at mga naninirahan sa mga liblib at malalayong lugar,” he added.
The initiative for Super Health Centers was initially pushed by Go, as the Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, in the 2022 budget deliberations during the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte. This early advocacy laid the groundwork for the rollout of these centers, which are now being significantly expanded under the current government.
“Bahagi po ito ng ating pagsisikap na mailapit ang serbisyo ng gobyerno sa mga mahihirap at sa mga pinaka nangangailangan,” he added.
Yet the senator emphasized that allocating a budget is only the first step.
“Pinagsikapan nating matiyak ang pondo para sa mga Super Health Center, ngayon ang kailangan ay ang mabilis at maayos na implementasyon nito sa bawat komunidad,” he said sharply.
“Kailangan nating kumilos para sa full implementation ng mga programa na totoong makatutulong sa ordinaryong Pilipino. Ang Super Health Center ay dapat maging tulay sa pagitan ng pamilya at ng dekalidad na serbisyong pangkalusugan,” he added.
He also urged PhilHealth to step up its role in making quality medical services more accessible and affordable. He called for new and innovative programs that would ensure every Filipino — regardless of their geographic or economic status — can avail themselves of essential medical care.
“As a nation, we owe it to every Filipino family to ensure that quality medical services are within their reach, regardless of how remote their location may be,” the senator asserted.
“Patuloy ko itong isusulong para matiyak na ang bawat pamilya, lalo na ‘yung mga hopeless at helpless, ay may access sa dekalidad at abot‑kayang serbisyong medikal.”
Beyond Super Health Centers, Go is the principal author and sponsor of Republic Act No. 11463, also known as the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program. As of now, 167 Malasakit Centers are operational across the country, assisting with patients’ medical expenses. According to the DOH, the Malasakit Center program has already aided more than 17 million Filipinos.
Additionally, he served as the principal sponsor and is one of the authors of RA 11959, also known as the Regional Specialty Centers Act. This law mandates the establishment of regional specialty centers within existing DOH regional hospitals, making specialized medical services more accessible to Filipinos nationwide.