BONG GO BATS FOR MORE LIVELIHOOD SUPPORT FOR THE POOR AS HE ASSISTS DISPLACED WORKERS IN TANGUB CITY, MISAMIS OCCIDENTAL

SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go said in a video message during his Malasakit Team’s relief effort in Tangub City, Misamis Occidental on Monday, December 18, that he continues to advocate for more livelihood support and other pro-poor programs.

“Always po ako, pro-poor programs at dapat po ay sikapin ng gobyerno na walang magutom na Pilipino. ‘Yan po ang pakiusap ko parati sa executive,” said Go.

“Kung meron kayong isusulong na batas, suportado ko po ito basta po makatutulong sa mahihirap po at hindi mapunta sa korapsyon ang pera,” he added.

Go’s Malasakit Team coordinated with Mayor Sabiniano “Ben” Canama and Vice Mayor Tito Decena. They distributed shirts, vitamins, masks, snacks, and balls for basketball and volleyball to 430 displaced workers gathered at the Tangub City People’s Gymnasium. They also distributed a mobile phone and a watch to select recipients.

Furthermore, the recipients were also eligible for the Department of Labor and Employment’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers program.

To tackle the issue of limited job availability in rural regions, Go introduced Senate Bill No. (SBN) 420. This bill proposes to offer temporary employment opportunities to qualified individuals from low-income rural families.

Under the proposed legislation, the Rural Employment Assistance Program (REAP) would be established under the jurisdiction of DOLE. The primary aim of REAP, if legislated, is to provide temporary employment options to individuals who qualify based on criteria such as economic hardship, poverty, displacement, or seasonal employment.

Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, offered additional assistance to those with medical concerns. He said they can conveniently avail of aid from the government through the Malasakit Center located at the Doña Maria D. Tan Memorial Hospital (DMDTMH) in the city or Mayor Hilarion A. Ramiro Sr. Medical Center in Ozamiz City.

The Malasakit Center is a one-stop shop that aims to make medical assistance programs more accessible by bringing the concerned agencies under one roof, such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

“Hindi niyo na kailangang pumila o umikot pa sa iba’t ibang opisina para humingi ng tulong pampagamot. Nasa isang kwarto sa loob ng ospital na po. Lapitan niyo lang, para sa inyo ‘yan. Ang Malasakit Center ay para sa mga poor at indigent patients,” explained Go, who is the principal author and sponsor of the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019.

There are now 159 Malasakit Centers nationwide that have helped more or less ten million indigent patients, according to DOH.

Moreover, the senator has been supporting the construction of Super Health Centers nationwide to provide communities in need with easier access to primary care services, medical consultations, and early disease detection.

Through the collective efforts of the DOH, local government units, and fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds have been allocated under the DOH for the construction of 307 Super Health Centers in 2022 and 322 in 2023.

Moreover, echoing President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.’s priority of bringing specialized medical services closer to other parts of the country, Go highlighted that he has principally sponsored and is one of the authors of the Regional Specialty Centers Act.

The law mandates the establishment of Regional Specialty Centers within existing DOH regional hospitals. It stands as a testament to the commitment of the government to uplift the nation’s health infrastructure and bring actual medical services closer to the Filipino people.

Go, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, supported the rehabilitation of roads in Aloran, Bonifacio, Calamba, Don Victoriano, Jimenez, Sapang Dalaga, Tudela, Sinacban and Ozamiz City; construction of multipurpose buildings in Concepcion, Jimenez, Tudela, Oroquieta City, Ozamiz City and Tangub City; construction of an eco-tourism highway; installation of solar streetlights along provincial roads; and infrastructure development of the DMDTMH.a