House OKs on 2nd reading bill institutionalizing Malasakit Centers

The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on second reading the measure seeking to establish the Malasakit Program and institutionalize Malasakit Centers in hospitals.

In a vote of "ayes" and "nays," the chamber approved House Bill 5477, or the proposed "Malasakit Program Act" meant to complement the objectives of the Universal Healthcare Law.

The Malasakit Center, the brainchild of Senator Bong Go, serves as a one-stop shop to serve patients in need of financial assistance not covered by the PhilHealth benefits.

A total of 49 Malasakit Centers have been opened in various hospitals in the country at present.

Under the bill, the Malasakit Program will be established which will provide a policy framework to push for "people-centered health services" that "ensure and promote an organizational culture geared towards responsiveness, ensure appropriate infrastructure and processes," and "promote client management and empowerment.

At the same time, the program will ensure to lessen the financial burden of incapacitated patients through financial and medical assistance from national government agencies, local government, non-government organizations, and private corporation and individuals.

The measure will also institutionalize Malasakit Centers in all Department of Health hospitals and in the Philippine General Hospital to fulfill the objectives of the Malasakit Program.

Aside from being a one-stop shop, the Malasakit Center also provides patient navigation and referral to health care provider networks.

The measure also ensures that Malasakit Centers are "non-partisan, convenient, free of charge, accessible," and have a "standard system of availment of assistance."

Recently, Albay Representative Edcel Lagman criticized the Malasakit Centers, saying that these had been used partisan fronts.

He said Malasakit Centers are not “one-stop” shops for post-confinement financial assistance but merely referral outlets to the main local offices of participating government agencies.

He added that patients availing services from Malasakit Centers also have to wait in long queues “because the representatives in the centers do not have the authority nor discretion to make assessments either for partial or full payment of hospital bill balances.”

Go defended the creation of his brainchild, saying the Malasakit Center was meant to help the poor and not the politicians who want to have a better public image.

"Prangkahin ko na rin po kayo, your image is beyond repair. Hindi po ikakaayos ng pagmumukha ninyo ang pagkontra ninyo sa interes ng mga Pilipino," he said.

The Senate approved on third and final reading its counterpart measure on Monday.  —LDF, GMA News