BONG GO ASSISTS DISPLACED WORKERS IN MANDALUYONG CITY; SEEKS IMPROVED EMPLOYMENT AND LIVELIHOOD OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE POOR

THE outreach team of Senator Christopher “Bong” Go collaborated with the office of Congressman Neptali “Boyet” Gonzales II, to deliver assistance to 147 displaced workers at the Hiyas Auditorium of the City Hall Complex in Mandaluyong City on Friday, November 17.

Go’s team distributed snacks and shirts to all identified disadvantaged workers, while select recipients received balls for basketball and volleyball.

Separately, qualified beneficiaries also received temporary employment from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) through its Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD). The TUPAD program provides opportunities to individuals facing economic hardships and is designed to provide emergency employment for displaced workers, underemployed, and seasonal laborers.

“Nakikiusap po ako sa kapwa ko lingkod bayan na focus tayo sa pagbibigay ng trabaho sa ating mga kababayan. Lalo na po yung mga walang-wala at malubhang naapektuhan ng pandemya,” Go urged.

Meanwhile, Go has filed Senate Bill No. (SBN) 420, which aims to establish a system for providing short-term employment to eligible individuals from underprivileged households in rural regions. Within the framework of this proposed measure, a program called the Rural Employment Assistance Program (REAP) would be created under DOLE.

If enacted into law, the primary objective of REAP is to offer temporary employment opportunities to individuals who meet the criteria of being economically disadvantaged, impoverished, displaced, or seasonal workers.

Go also hailed the signing of Republic Act No. 11960, or the One Town, One Product (OTOP) Philippines Act, into law by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on August 24, as a crucial step towards economic recovery.

“The OTOP law decentralizes opportunities, giving each town and province the chance to shine with their unique products,” Go said as he emphasized the law’s potential to redistribute economic power from the capital to the provinces and other regions.

Go, who  is one of the authors and co-sponsors of the OTOP law, considers it more than a mere stimulus package for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). He views it as a socio-economic reform that can bridge the urban-rural divide. The senator also highlighted the role of the OTOP Program in fostering community-led innovation.

Meanwhile, Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, encouraged those with health issues to seek the services of the Malasakit Centers at the National Center for Mental Health in the city.

Malasakit Centers bring together representatives from the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), 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.

The Malasakit Centers program was initiated by Go in 2018 and was later institutionalized through the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which he principally authored and sponsored.

As of now, 159 Malasakit Centers are operational across the country, poised to assist with patients’ medical expenses. DOH reported that the Malasakit Center program has already provided aid to more than ten million Filipinos.

Go, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, also supported the funding for many key projects in Mandaluyong City. These include the construction of a multipurpose hall and building in Brgy. Namayan.