Senator Christopher “Bong” Go’s standing in the latest senatorial preference surveys signals a strong and growing public trust in his work, particularly in healthcare reforms. In the first quarter Pulso ng Pilipino Tracking Poll conducted by The Issues and Advocacy Center from February 17 to 22, Go ranked between first and third place, registering an impressive 55.3% voting preference with a near-universal 99% awareness rating.
The numbers are consistent across various surveys. The Social Weather Stations (SWS) poll from February 15 to 19 showed him climbing to second place with 38% voter preference—an increase from his third-to-fourth-place rankings in January (37%) and December 2024 (32%).
Pulse Asia’s January 18-25 survey also placed him in the second to third spot with 50.4% support, while OCTA Research’s Tugon ng Masa survey from January 25 to 31 recorded an even higher 58%. The February 10-13 Tangere HatolNgBayan2025 survey reaffirmed his position, placing him third with 51.25% among 2,400 mobile-based respondents.
“Taus-puso ang aking pasasalamat sa patuloy na suporta at tiwala ninyo sa aking pagseserbisyo. Kung papalarin at mabibigyan ako ng bagong pagkakataong maglingkod sa bayan at maging representante ninyo sa Senado, lalo kong sisipagan ang pagseserbisyo sa kapwa ko Pilipino sa abot ng aking makakaya,” Go earlier said.
“Sipag, malasakit at more serbisyo ang maiaalay ko sa inyo dahil bisyo ko ang magserbisyo at naniniwala ako na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo sa Diyos!,” he added.
With the elections fast approaching, Go’s growing numbers underscore a well-defined, compassionate brand of public service that has resonated with Filipinos since he first entered the Senate.
Malasakit as a foundation for trust
Go’s rise in public preference can be traced back to 2018 when the first Malasakit Center was established. At the time, medical assistance programs were scattered across different agencies, forcing indigent patients to navigate a bureaucratic maze just to secure aid. The delays often meant the difference between life and death, and hospital bills could cripple a poor family’s finances overnight.
The Malasakit Center program, which Go later institutionalized by principally authoring and sponsoring Republic Act No. (RA) 11463, was a direct response to this long-standing problem. These one-stop shops consolidate assistance from the Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), significantly cutting down the red tape for patients in need.
“Hindi po biro ang magkasakit sa Pilipinas. Minsan, ‘yung perang para sa pagkain, nauubos kakabayad lang sa ospital,” Go said. “Kaya nagkaroon tayo ng Malasakit Centers—para ‘yung mahihirap na pasyente, mas madaling makakuha ng tulong.”
To date, 167 Malasakit Centers operate nationwide, with at least three in every region. DOH has reported that the program has assisted more than 17 million Filipinos in reducing their hospital expenses.
As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, Go has vowed to exercise oversight so that Malasakit Centers continue their operations efficiently.
Advancing healthcare reforms
Beyond Malasakit Centers, Go has also been instrumental in broader healthcare reforms. He principally sponsored and is one of the authors of RA 11959, the Regional Specialty Centers Act, which mandates the establishment of specialty hospitals within DOH regional hospitals—bringing expert medical care closer to underserved communities.
Additionally, he has championed the creation of Super Health Centers, which focus on primary care, early disease detection, and free consultations in coordination with municipal health offices, local government units, and PhilHealth’s Konsulta program.
Go’s legislative push has led to concrete benefits, including expanded PhilHealth coverage. The agency, following his persistent calls, has committed to increasing case rates, expanding benefits packages for the country’s top 10 leading causes of mortality, and providing free medicines and assistive devices such as eyeglasses and wheelchairs.
His efforts also led to the long-overdue removal of PhilHealth’s Single Period of Confinement policy, which previously restricted patients from claiming benefits if they were hospitalized for the same condition within 90 days.
Go has also pushed for the removal of the 24-hour confinement rule, which previously required patients to be admitted for a full day before they could claim insurance benefits. This restriction had prevented many Filipinos from accessing coverage for emergency care. Following his repeated calls, PhilHealth has addressed this by expanding its emergency care benefits to include out-patient hospital services.
Despite these gains, Go remains critical of PhilHealth’s financial management, especially in light of the ongoing Supreme Court deliberations on the legality of transferring its excess funds to the National Treasury.
The fight for PhilHealth funds
Go has been vocal about his opposition to the fund transfer since July of last year, when he first raised concerns over the potential impact on healthcare services. His warnings intensified during Senate Committee on Health hearings, where he demanded clarity on why billions in surplus funds were not being used to improve patient care.
Now, with the Supreme Court hearing oral arguments on the issue, Senator Go has reiterated his position, emphasizing that PhilHealth’s funds must remain within the healthcare system.
“Salamat po sa Supreme Court dahil pinagdidebatihan ngayon ang ginawang transfer ng PhilHealth funds pabalik sa National Treasury,” Senator Go said. “’Yan naman po ang tanong natin sa PhilHealth sa mga nakaraang hearings sa Committee on Health—ang dami n’yo pong obligasyon na nakabinbin, ang dami pang utang, at higit sa lahat, ang daming pasyente naghihingalo, namamatay, ni walang pambayad sa ospital.”
He stressed that many Filipinos avoid seeking medical attention because they cannot afford hospital bills, yet PhilHealth had billions in excess funds that were redirected elsewhere.
“Takot pong magpa-ospital dahil wala pong pambayad. Tapos bilyon-bilyong piso ang sobrang n’yong pondo. Nawalis tuloy ng National Treasury para gamitin sa ibang proyekto na hindi naman pang-health,” he said.
“Ulitin ko po, ang pera ng PhilHealth ay dapat gamitin sa health. Ang PhilHealth po ay hindi negosyo. Ang PhilHealth po ay medical insurance na dapat meron tayong masasandalan tuwing tayo’y nagkakasakit.”
With the elections drawing near, Senator Go’s sustained focus on healthcare and pro-poor initiatives fuel his strong standing in national surveys.
