The 47th Malasakit Center in the country opened at the Davao Regional Medical Center (DRMC) in Barangay Apokon.

Senator Christopher Lawrence Go led the opening of the facility, a one-stop shop that houses the services of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), and the Department of Health (DoH).

Go said the facility caters to indigent patients, who need access to medical and financial aid, from relevant government agencies.

“We will not take the patients for granted especially those who are very poor. Rest assured that they will be prioritized in this facility,” he said.

He also hopes to put Malasakit Centers in all DOH-run hospitals to further cater to the needs of poor Filipinos.

“It is not easy to get hospitalized. We really need to attend to their needs,” he said.

Go also said that he targeted to open the next Malasakit Center in Compostela Valley Province.

Cherry Villan, Malasakit Center in-charge, said the facility will cater to the out-patients and in-patients of DRMC. She said that it is open to everyone as long as they have the needed documents attached to their request.

“For the in-patient, we usually get requests for their billings, we will make sure that they could get a zero billing after they submitted all their documents here,” Villan added.

Meanwhile, Ma. Theresa Pesaras, a resident of Barangay San Isidro, in this city, thanked the officials involved in the establishment of the center.

Battling with kidney disease for two years, Pesares said that she has been constantly receiving assistance from the center.

She said her doctor has advised her to complete the requirements needed for her operation, such as X-ray, ECG, and ultrasound.

“I am happy that through the Malasakit Center, I will no longer provide cash for my operation because they got me covered,” Pesares said. (PNA)