Senator Bong Go expressed hope and optimism amid recent proposals to re-allocate funds for flood control to the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Program (MAIFIP).
“I heard ngayon mayroon pong pondo for flood control for 2026, parang i-re-reallocate po ng Kongreso sa MAIFIP. Kung matutuloy po ito wala na pong dahilan na may matanggihan pang mga pasyente,” Go said.
“Kaysa naman po nananakaw, ginagawang gatasan po ng iilan ang flood control projects,” the veteran legislator said.
In the proposed budget for 2026, the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee redirected about P255 billion in flood control projects allocated for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) towards other departments, including the Health Department.
The former Chairperson and now Vice Chair of the Senate Health Committee underscored, “Dapat po gamitin po itong MAIFIP hindi lang po sa mga Department of Health (DOH) hospitals na target ninyong zero balance billing kundi sa iba pang hospital na matutulungan po nitong MAIFIP Program.”
To recall, the seasoned lawmaker earlier filed Senate Bill No. 409 seeking to institutionalize the MAIFIP Program and ensure that funds are made available at the start of every fiscal year across all DOH hospitals and specialty centers.
The bill mandates the availability of medical assistance in all public hospitals, strengthening the current system, minimizing bureaucratic delays in assistance delivery, and ensuring politics-free implementation.
The senator has always believed that health is a fundamental right; thus, the goal is to ensure that public funds are utilized to benefit Filipinos in need.
“Kung sino po mahirap talaga siya ang makinabang nito.”
“Isa sa aking priority ay nag-file po ako ng to institutionalize MAIFIP, ito po para sa mga financially incapacitated or indigent patients, at dapat po walang pinipili. Ibig kong sabihin, kung sino po mahirap talaga siya ang makinabang nito. Hindi na po dapat lumapit sa politiko para humingi ng tulong sa kanilang pagpapa-hospital,” he explained.
“Walang pinipili po dapat. Dapat po’y walang politika dito.”
Go then reminded the Health Department officials to ensure that all patients especially the poor are given medical attention they need: “Paalala ko lang sa DOH, dapat po’y walang matanggihan na mga pasyente. Walang pinipili po dapat. Dapat po’y walang politika dito. Kung sino iyung nangangailangan ng tulong, ibigay ninyo po iyung tulong through MAIP.”
One of the agencies of the government providing assistance in the Malasakit Centers is the DOH through its MAIFIP Program.
The DOH reported a total of MAIFIP allocation of P41 billion is under the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
As the current Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go’s priority is for the government to provide accessible and affordable healthcare services to every Filipino.
“Ang kalusugan ay katumbas ng buhay ng bawat Pilipino,” he concluded.
