Millions of less fortunate Filipinos have received much needed assistance for their hospitalization needs with the passage of the Universal Health Care Act (UHC) in 2019.
During his sixth and last State of the Nation Address on Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte said he signed the Malasakit Centers Act in in the same year to supplement the UHC Law.
“Kapag ang pobreng Pilipino nasa ospital, punta pa siya kung saan makahingi ng tulong. Ang ginawa, just like in Davao, lahat ng ginawa, kung medisina, diyan na lang sa isang lugar kunin ninyo diyan sa ospital (Poor Filipinos in hospitals look for other sources for their medical needs. What we did, if they need medicine, just get it there from the hospital) and to me that is one of the most poignant acts of Congress and the Executive Department,” he said.
A total of 130 Malasakit Centers have been established across the country.
It houses under one roof the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.
The first Malasakit Center opened at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City on Feb. 12, 2018, while the 130th was launched just three days ago, on July 23, at the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center in Batac City, Ilocos Norte.
“The creation of Malasakit Centers has leveled the playing field and provide our less fortunate countrymen the medical care they deserve,” Duterte said.
“We will be establishing more, God willing, if we’ll still be around,” he added.
Source: Philippines News Agency