Michael Villagomez, head of general services at Quirino Memorial Medical Center (QMMC), described how a newly inaugurated halfway house — advocated by Senator Bong Go — will unburden the daily struggles of patient guardians who travel to Manila from distant provinces.
For Villagomez, the facility is more than a building; it is a lifeline for those who keep vigil beside their sick relatives yet have nowhere to stay in the city.
The facility is more than a building; it is a lifeline for those who keep vigil beside their sick relatives yet have nowhere to stay in the city.
“Unang-una, nagpapasalamat po ako personally sa pagdating ng ating senador, Senator Bong Go. Napakalaking karangalan po ang kanyang presensya dito sa aming ospital,” he stressed.
Go was at QMMC recently to witness the blessing and formal opening of the new halfway house—a facility the seasoned lawmaker actively supported to help patient guardians from far-flung provinces who need a temporary place to stay while their loved ones undergo treatment in the hospital.
Villagomez went on to express appreciation for the seasoned lawmaker’s words during the ceremony and for the project, which he described as a timely and vital support for patient guardians.
“Napakalaking tulong po nito sa mga bantay ng ating pasyente lalung lalo na po galing probinsya walang mauuwian dito sa Manila.”
“Salamat din po sa mga binitiwang salita during the inauguration at sa proyektong ito. Napakalaking tulong po nito sa mga bantay ng ating pasyente lalung lalo na po galing probinsya walang mauuwian dito sa Manila,” Villagomez noted.
Villagomez also spoke of his team’s practical role in maintaining the facility, acknowledging that while it adds to their responsibilities, the purpose makes the extra effort worthwhile.
“Kami po sa general services ay handa rin po, kasi kami rin po ang maglilinis ng lugar na ito. Dagdag trabaho pero malaking tulong dahil nakakatulong tayo sa ating mamamayan,” he explained.
Villagomez concluded his remarks with a heartfelt message of gratitude: “So muli po maraming-maraming salamat po,” he said, voicing the relief and appreciation shared by many who endure long and anxious hours while caring for their loved ones in the hospital.
The halfway house at QMMC, the first of this initiative in Metro Manila that Go pushed for, provides temporary shelter for patient companions who would otherwise face sleepless nights in waiting areas or costly stays elsewhere. Villagomez’s words captured the human impact of the project: an answer to a need often overlooked in discussions of healthcare infrastructure.
Go, who previously chaired the Senate Committee on Health and Demography and now serves as its Vice Chairperson while also holding the post of Vice Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, used the occasion to turn the spotlight back on health workers and hospital staff. He began by expressing his own gratitude to those who sustained the nation’s hospitals through the most difficult times.
“Kanina kasi marami pong lumapit, nagpapasalamat sa mga programa. ‘Wag po kayong magpasalamat sa akin, trabaho ko po ‘yan. Ako po ang dapat magpasalamat sa inyo dahil binigyan n’yo po ako ng pangalawang pagkakataon muli na makapagserbisyo po sa inyo,” the senator said, making clear that the true credit belongs to those who serve patients every day.
He also shared that the idea of halfway houses started years ago in Davao City during the administration of then-Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. From those early beginnings, the concept grew into a model for national hospitals—an initiative meant to ease the hardship of patient companions who often bear silent sacrifices.
For Villagomez and countless other guardians, the halfway house at QMMC is a quiet space of respite and a recognition that their presence and care are integral to the healing of those they love.
