Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, on Wednesday, August 20, decried the lack of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) personnel manning the Malasakit Centers during the first Senate Committee Hearing on Health of the 20th Congress. Their presence is mandated by the Malasakit Centers Act which Go principally authored and sponsored in 2019.
“Masyado tayong mabait dito pero isapuso ninyo at isaisip iyong mga pasyenteng naghihintay ng tulong,” said Go reinforcing his commitment to serve the Filipino people with compassion, hard work and urgency.
Senator Go asked for an update from the PCSO regarding its compliance with the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which mandates the assignment of PCSO staff in all operational centers.
“It has been a year nang napag-usapan last year. Baka puwedeng i-follow up ito. Bigyan ninyo naman po ng importansya ang pasyente. Nakataya po ang buhay ng bawat Pilipino,” Go appealed to the PCSO officials attending the Senate inquiry.
At present, only 40 out of 167 Malasakit Centers have assigned PCSO personnel according to reports from the Health Department.
The Malasakit Center, a brainchild of Go, is a one-stop shop where Filipinos can avail of financial and medical assistance from four agencies of the government, namely, the Department of Health, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and the PCSO.
“Hindi na nila kailangan pumunta ng iba’t ibang opisina. Ubos ang panahon. Ubos ang pera. Ubos ang pamasahe,” Go pointed out.
A PCSO Assistant General Manager present during the hearing confirmed that no additional personnel had been assigned to the Malasakit Centers since the last Senate hearing on the matter.
The issue of lack of PCSO personnel in Malasakit Centers prompted Senator Erwin Tulfo to call fellow Senator Go, “Mabait lang po ang ating chairman.”
In response, Go, Chairman of the Senate Health Committee, said that his kindness has limits.
“May panahon na kailangan na rin natin na hindi maging mabait para ipaglaban po ang karapatan ng bawat Pilipino,” Go underscored.
Go told the current PCSO officials: “’Yun naman po ang gusto ng administrasyon na makatulong sa ating mga kababayan. Ilapit natin ang serbisyong medikal sa ating mga kababayan, lalung lao na ‘yung mga pasyente.”