Senator Christopher “Bong” Go reaffirmed his commitment to helping vulnerable sectors amid current challenges faced by the country as he and his team delivered aid to struggling families in Calamba City, Laguna last February 15.
“Ako naman po, (gusto kong) makatulong sa inyo, makapagbigay ng solusyon sa inyong mga problema, makatulong sa mga proyekto rito, at makapag-iwan po ng kaunting ngiti sa panahon ng inyong pagdadalamhati,” said Go in his message to the victims.
“Tao lamang kami, napapagod rin po kami. Pero ‘pag nakikita namin kayong masaya, nawawala po ang aming pagod. Iyon po ang totoo,” he added.
Go and his staff held the distribution at the Laguna Provincial Capitol-Extension where they handed out food packs, masks, snacks, and vitamins to a total of 396 indigent residents. They also gave away a bicycle, pairs of shoes, cellular phone, watch, shirts, and balls for basketball and volleyball to select individuals.
“Bagama't boluntaryo na po ang pagsuot ng face mask, hindi natin alam kung sino ‘yung may dalang sakit sa (ating mga) pamamahay. Kaya mas maiging magsuot pa rin tayo kung hindi naman po sagabal sa inyong parte, ‘di ba?” encouraged Go.
As Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, he also underscored the need for eligible residents to get inoculated and boosted against COVID-19 to better safeguard themselves and their community from the virus.
“At tsaka magpabakuna kayo dahil ang bakuna lamang po ang tanging susi para unti-unti tayong makabalik sa normal na pamumuhay. Ngayon, may naibabalita na bagong variant na Kraken, pero ‘pag bakunado kayo, mas protektado po kayo mula sa sakit na COVID-19. Magpabakuna na ho kayo, magpa-booster na po kayo ‘pag qualified na po kayo. Libre naman ito at pinaghirapan ito ng ating gobyerno,” urged Go.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development provided the beneficiaries with separate cash aid under its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program.
“At ‘yung mga empleyado po ng DSWD na nagsasakripisyo, nag-o-overtime sa inyo, salamat po. In fact, nasa likod po ‘yung mga empleyado, nagba-validate sila, nagbibigay (ng) tulong po,” he said.
Advocating for better access to quality healthcare services, Go then advised the residents to seek the services of the Malasakit Centers in the province located at Laguna Medical Center in Sta. Cruz and San Pablo City General Hospital in San Pablo City.
“Ako po ang chair ng Committee on Health sa Senado. Ang aking advocacy po ay health. I-improve ‘yung healthcare system natin, karagdagang mga specialty center. ‘Yung mga Malasakit Center po, mayroon na tayong 154 na Malasakit Center sa buong Pilipinas na handang tumulong po sa inyo,” Go told the beneficiaries.
Designed to assist particularly poor and indigent patients, the Malasakit Center is a one-stop shop that brings together government agencies with medical assistance programs, including the DSWD, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. The program has celebrated its fifth year anniversary this month. Go is the principal author and sponsor of the Malasakit Centers Act.
Aside from Malasakit Centers, Go is also pushing for the construction of more Super Health Centers nationwide, especially in rural areas.
Services in the Super Health Centers include database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy and ambulatory surgical unit. Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service, oncology centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation center and telemedicine, where remote diagnosis and treatment of patients will be done.
Through Go’s efforts, sufficient funds had been allocated under the 2022 Health Facilities Enhancement Program for the construction of some 307 Super Health Centers. As Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, he was likewise successful in pushing for additional funds under the 2023 budget to support the construction of 322 SHCs in other parts of the country.
In 2022, Go supported the construction of Super Health Centers in the province, particularly in the cities of Biñan, Cabuyao, Calamba, San Pedro, and Sta. Rosa; and in the towns of Alaminos and Mabitac.
This year, more Super Health Centers will be established in San Pablo City, and in the towns of Sta. Maria, Los Baños, and Calauan.
An adopted son of CALABARZON, Go expressed his gratitude to all of the local officials for their continued efforts to ensure that their constituents are well-supported, including Laguna 2nd District Representative Ruth Hernandez, Governor Ramil Hernandez, Vice Governor Karen Agapay, Calamba City Mayor Ross Rizal, Cavinti Vice Mayor Milbert Oliveros, and Laguna 1st District Board Member JM Carait.
To help boost economic growth and improve the delivery of public services in the province, the senator also supported the construction of multipurpose buildings in Cavinti, Liliw, Lumban, Majayjay, Pagsanjan, Pila, Sta. Cruz and Sta. Maria; construction of slaughterhouses in Mabitac, Nagcarlan and Pagsanjan; and construction of public markets in Liliw, Nagcarlan, Pagsanjan and Rizal.
Other projects he supported are the construction of a farm-to-market road and a multipurpose covered court in Paete, the construction of a drainage canal in Cabuyao City, and repair of the primary road inside Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa City, and installation of street lights in Lumban and Magdalena.
On the same day, Go visited Malvar, Batangas to personally witness the groundbreaking of its Super Health Center and likewise provide aid to the town's indigent residents.
