Feature: Malasakit Center, poor’s haven for ZamboSur medical needs

By Gideon C. Corgue 

PAGADIAN CITY, Sept 30 (PIA) —The ZamboSurians are very happy that they have benefited from the services of the Malasakit Center here.

Eddie Datu-oto who is a resident of Bulatok, Pagadian City is very thankful to the government because when he was admitted inside the private hospital in the city due to kidney stone disease and the hospital did not allow him to pay the bill.

Datu-oto recounted that when he was hospitalized for six days, he was transfused with five bags of blood and underwent oxygen therapy since he was having difficulty of breathing.

When he recovered and was advised by the doctor that he could go home, he felt very sad because their hospital bill was more than P50,000.

Datu-oto said his daughter went to Governor Victor Yu’s office at the Provincial Capitol to ask for help to pay the bill because they had very little money.

He added that her daughter was warmly welcomed by the staff and was assisted in complying with the requirements to avail medical assistance.

“When my daughter returned to the hospital, she was happy to announce that there were no more problems because I had already availed of the ‘zero billing’ policy implemented by the Malasakit Center," Datu-oto quoted her daughter.

Meanwhile, Jeraldine Villaluz of barangay Sikatuna in Guipos town also said that on June 29, this year her son met an accident and broke his leg and was admitted at the Zamboanga del Sur Medical Center (ZDSMC).

Villaluz said that more than a week after his son was confined to the hospital, the stainless steel was successfully implanted in his leg so he could walk again.

Their hospital bill reached to P66,338 but everything was shouldered by the Malasakit Center.

“I never paid a single peso. Even the anesthesia I bought outside was still refunded by the hospital. For this, I am very grateful to the government because, we, the poor have been helped with our hospital bills,” Villaluz happily announced.

Nerlita Gayanan of Poblacion, Lapuyan town also said that her husband was admitted to a private hospital in the city due to appendicitis.

Within a few days of her husband's hospitalization, their hospital bill reached more than P22,000.

When Gayanan found out about the bill, she was very sad because they did not have the money to pay for the hospital.

She turned to the provincial government and personally went to the governor’s office and asked for help to get her husband out of the hospital.

After complying with the requirements, Gayanan also availed of the government’s ‘zero balance billing’ policy.

“I am very grateful to the administration of President Duterte and the support of Governor Victor Yu and Congresswoman Divina Grace Yu because we have benefited from the Malasakit Center program. I hope that they can help many more people, especially the very poor people in the province,” Gayanan concluded.

It can be recalled that the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte through Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go established the 42nd Malasakit Center located at Zamboanga del Sur Medical Center in Barangay Dao, Pagadian City on September 13, 2019 to provide millions of Filipinos better access to government medical and financial assistance. (RVC/EDT/GCC/PIA-Zamboanga del Sur)