BONG GO EXTENDS ASSISTANCE TO FIRE VICTIMS IN ROXAS CITY, CAPIZ

SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go mobilized his Malasakit Team to provide assistance to fire victims in Barangay 7, Roxas City, Capiz, on Wednesday, March 13.

Go’s Malasakit Team, in coordination with Mayor Ronnie Dadivas, assisted 103 affected households at the Civic Center. The beneficiaries received snacks, water containers, grocery packs, vitamins, masks, shirts, and balls for basketball and volleyball.

Go also sympathized with the two bereaved families and extended additional financial assistance.

“Magdasal po tayo at ipagdasal po natin ‘yung mga mahal natin sa buhay. Ang gamit po nabibili. Ang pera po ay kikitain rin po natin, magsipag lang tayo. Subalit ‘yung perang kikitain ay hindi po nabibili ang buhay. Ang nawalang buhay po ay wala na. A lost life is a lost life forever,” Mr. Malasakit encouraged.

Understanding the health hazards and urgent healthcare requirements of those impacted by the fire, Senator Go, who serves as the Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, urged the victims to make use of the services provided by the Malasakit Center located at Roxas Memorial Provincial Hospital (RMPH) in the city.

“Sa mga pasyente, lapitan niyo lang ang Malasakit Center dahil para ‘to sa inyo. Kung may hospital bill kayo, nandiyan ang mga ahensya ng gobyerno na tutulong para mabayaran ito,” said Go in his video message.

After witnessing the struggles of disadvantaged Filipinos in settling their hospital bills, Go initiated the Malasakit Centers program and successfully pushed for Republic Act No. 11463, which he principally sponsored and authored in 2019. There are now 161 Malasakit Centers nationwide that have helped more than ten million Filipinos, according to the Department of Health.

In observance of Fire Prevention Month, Go then reassured that the Bureau of Fire Protection will be more equipped to respond to fire-related incidents following the implementation of the BFP Modernization Act, which former president Rodrigo Duterte signed in September of last year.

Republic Act No. 11589, which Go primarily authored and co-sponsored in the Senate, provides for a ten-year modernization program for BFP that includes acquiring modern fire equipment, recruiting more firefighters, and providing specialized training, among others.

As Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go has also supported several projects in the city, such as the construction of multipurpose buildings, a five-story building within RMPH, and a Super Health Health Center.