SEN. CHRISTOPHER Lawrence “Bong” Go said the operations of Malasakit Centers all over the country will not be affected by the halt order on Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office’s (PCSO) gaming activities.
Budgeted na ang PCSO for this year kaya hindi apektado ang mga Malasakit Centers. Ang collection ng PCSO ngayong taon ay para sa susunod na taon na (PCSO is already budgeted this year thus, Malasakit Centers will not be affected. The collection of PCSO this year is intended for next year),” he said.
A program of Duterte administration, Malasakit Center is a one-stop-shop established in public hospitals to hasten the process and delivery of government’s medical and financial assistance to indigent patients.
The center is staffed by representatives from the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, and other government agencies.
A total of 38 Malasakit Centers were already established in the country to date.
“Hintayin na lang natin ang magiging resulta ng directives ng pangulo. Inuuna ni presidente na huwag malugi ang gobyerno o ang interes ng gobyerno kaya pansamantala munang pinasara at pinareview ang mga activities ng PCSO (We will just wait for the results of the directives of the president. The president just wanted to prioritize that the government or the interest of the government will not be at loss thus, the temporary closure and review of the PCSO activities),” Go clarified.
Meanwhile, he announced that the government will provide an additional P10 million worth of medical assistance to the Malasakit Center in Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) intended for indigent patients.
The senator arrived in Cagayan de Oro on July 27 to visit and provide assistance to fire victims in Brgy. Macabalan in Cagayan de Oro City and Barangay Poblacion in Iligan City. (By Apipa P. Bagumbaran)
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