BONG GO AIDS RECOVERING TYPHOON PAENG VICTIMS IN LEBAK, SULTAN KUDARAT

THE Office of Senator Christopher “Bong” Go conducted a relief operation in Lebak, Sultan Kudarat on Thursday, December 15 for residents still recovering from Typhoon Paeng.

The relief operation was held at the Lebak Public Terminal, where a total of 468 families were assisted.  They all received grocery packs, snacks, vitamins, shirts, masks, and balls for basketball and volleyball from the senator. There were also select recipients of a watch, shoes, and a mobile phone.

Meanwhile, through Go’s initiative, the National Housing Authority extended aid through its Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP) to qualified beneficiaries to help them further rebuild.

“Sinikap din na mabigyan sila ng National Housing Authority ng ayuda pambili ng housing materials tulad ng pako, yero at iba pa upang maisaayos muli ang kanilang mga tirahan,” Go highlighted.

“Itong EHAP program, isinulong natin ito noon at patuloy na sinusuportahan ang programa ngayon upang mas marami pang mga biktima ng sakuna ang makapagpatayo ng maayos na bahay at makabangon muli mula sa trahedya,” he added.

In his video message, Go called for a whole-of-nation approach in helping communities affected by various crises and calamities to recover and rebuild faster.

Go filed Senate Bill No. 188, which seeks to establish a Department of Disaster Resilience, highlighting the importance of a focused and collaborative strategy for handling disasters. He outlined the possible duties of this department, including pre-disaster readiness, collaboration with local government units, and post-disaster recovery initiatives.

As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Go mentioned that there is a Malasakit Center located at Sultan Kudarat Provincial Hospital in Isulan ready to assist them with their hospital bills.

With 159 centers established throughout the country, the Malasakit Centers program has already assisted over ten million indigent patients with their hospital expenses, according to the Department of Health (DOH). Go initiated the program, which was later institutionalized under Republic Act No. 11463, and which he principally authored and sponsored to provide Filipinos more convenient access to government medical assistance.

Go also emphasized his vision of bridging the gap between healthcare and the public by promoting Super Health Centers, thereby easing the challenge of extensive travel to avail of basic health services.

Super Health Centers offer basic health services, including database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy, and ambulatory surgical unit. Other available services in Super Health Centers are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service; oncology centers; physical therapy and rehabilitation centers; and telemedicine.

Through the collaborative efforts of fellow lawmakers, local government units, and the DOH, sufficient funds were allocated for 307 Super Health Centers nationwide in 2022 and 322 in 2023.

Go also highlighted RA 11959, also known as the Regional Specialty Centers Act, which he principally sponsored and is one of the authors in the Senate. The Regional Specialty Centers Act plays a pivotal role in the healthcare legislative agenda of the Marcos administration, as detailed in the Philippine Development Plan 2023 to 2028. The law mandates the establishment of Regional Specialty Centers within existing DOH regional hospitals.

In line with his efforts as vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go also supported the concreting of roads in Esperanza, Bagumbayan, Isulan, Lambayong, Lebak, Lutayan, and Tacurong City. Additionally, he supported the construction of multipurpose buildings in Columbio and Isulan, as well as the procurement of ambulance units for other towns.