Senator Christopher “Bong” Go dispatched his team on Wednesday, September 13, to provide assistance to residents of Mangatarem, Pangasinan, in collaboration with Mayor Ramil Ventenilla and its local government.
In his message, Go reiterated his commitment to support programs that will bring crucial assistance to fellow Filipinos especially the poor. He continues to advocate for programs such as those initiated by the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) to bring government aid particularly in terms of livelihood support closer to the grassroots.
In Mangatarem, DTI has handed out livelihood kits to 20 qualified beneficiaries who are still recovering from past calamities and other crises. In addition, Go’s team distributed masks, snacks, shirts, and balls for basketball and volleyball to the beneficiaries while select beneficiaries received shoes.
“Salamat po sa DTI sa inyong inisyatibong matulungan ang kabuhayan ng mga mahihirap. Sa pamamagitan ng pagkakaisa at pagtutulungan natin, mas makakabangon ang ating mga kababayan mula sa hirap at magkakaroon ng maayos na pagkakakitaan,” Go said.
The goal of this program is to facilitate economic recovery of micro-enterprises and, in turn, provide much-needed livelihood opportunities for identified beneficiaries in areas considered priorities by the national government.
“Tuturuan ang mga benepisyaryo na magnegosyo at bibigyan ng tulong para palaguin ito. Masarap sa pakiramdam kapag pinaghirapan at pinagpawisan mo ang iyong negosyo at napalago mo ito. Ang maayos na kabuhayan ang isa sa mga magiging susi sa pagginhawa ng pamumuhay ng iyong pamilya,” Go explained.
Meanwhile, Go reiterated his priority to enhancing healthcare accessibility for poor and indigent Filipinos. This commitment drove him to champion the passage of Republic Act No. 11463, commonly referred to as the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, a law he principally sponsored and authored.
Malasakit Centers bring together representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO). These one-stop shops aim to support impoverished patients in reducing their hospital costs to the least possible amount.
“Sa ngayon naman po ay patuloy po ang pagseserbisyo, pagtutulong po ng Malasakit Center. Ang Malasakit Center naman po is a one stop shop, nasa loob na po ng ospital ang apat na ahensya ng gobyerno – PhilHealth, PCSO, DOH, DSWD,” said Go.
“Batas na po ‘yan na isinulong ko noon, pinirmahan ni dating pangulong (Rodrigo) Duterte. Halimbawa dito sa inyo sa Region 1 Medical Center, mayroon kayong Malasakit Center na pwede pong lapitan ng mga poor and indigent patients. Para po ‘yan sa Pilipino,” he added.
To date, there are 159 Malasakit Centers nationwide which have already served over seven million Filipinos according to DOH.
Apart from his health initiatives, Go, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, supported various projects in Pangasinan including the construction of concrete line canals, rehabilitation and concretion of several roads, and acquisition of medical equipment for the dialysis center of the Western Pangasinan District Hospital.
