BONG GO AIDS FIRE VICTIMS IN ARAKAN, LIBUNGAN, AND MAKILALA, NORTH COTABATO TO HELP THEM REBUILD AND RECOVER

On April 17 to 19, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go’s Malasakit Team delivered essential support to the victims of recent fires in Arakan, Libungan, and Makilala, North Cotabato, expressing his commitment to help them rebuild and recover.

Held at the Arakan Municipal Hall, Libungan Municipall Hall, and the Mayor’s Office in Makilala, Go’s Malasakit Team distributed food packs, shirts, masks, vitamins, and snacks to a total of 26 affected families, and they also gave out a watch, and a cellular phone to select recipients.

“Mahirap pong masunugan. Masakit masunugan. Tinatanong ko una, mayroon bang nasaktan o namatay? Dahil tandaan po natin ang gamit po nabibili. Ang damit po nalalabhan. Ang pera po’y kikitain. Subalit ang perang kikitain ay hindi po nabibili ang buhay. A lost life is a lost life forever” said Go.

“Diyos lang po ang nakakaalam kung kailan tayo mawawala sa mundong ito. Pasalamat tayo buhay po tayo at magtulungan lang po tayo,” he added.

Through Go’s initiative, the National Housing Authority then provided support to the fire victims through their Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP).

The senator has advocated for and maintains his support for the NHA’s EHAP, which assists families displaced by fires, earthquakes, typhoons, and other natural calamities in rebuilding their homes.

“Bukod sa mga naipagkaloob ng aking opisina, nakatanggap din ang mga benepisyaryo ng tulong mula sa National Housing Authority sa ilalim ng programang isinulong natin noon at tinutulungang maipagpatuloy ngayon para may pambili ang mga ito ng pako, yero, semento at iba pang materyales sa pagtatayong muli ng kanilang tahanan,” Go explained.

Go then highlighted that homelessness in the country stems from various factors such as natural disasters, poverty, unemployment, and a lack of affordable housing. For this reason, the lawmaker continues to advocate for his filed Senate Bill No. 192, aimed at establishing the Rental Housing Subsidy Program.

This proposed legislation would create a housing and social protection program to offer disaster victims, improved and more affordable access to the formal housing market by providing government-funded rental subsidies if enacted into law.

In line with his commitment to look after the well-being of Filipinos, Go, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, encouraged those with health concerns to visit the Malasakit Center at Cotabato Provincial Hospital in Kidapawan City.

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.

Go is the principal author and sponsor of Republic Act No. 11463 or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program. As of now, 163 Malasakit Centers are operational across the country, poised to assist with patients’ medical expenses. The DOH reports that the Malasakit Center program has already provided aid to more than ten million Filipinos.

“Patuloy kaming magseserbisyo sa inyo dahil bisyo ko na ang magserbisyo at ako ay naniniwala na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo ‘yan sa Panginoon,” underscored Go who is known as Mr. Malasakit for his compassionate service to Filipinos in need.