BONG GO LEADS RELIEF ACTIVITY FOR FIRE VICTIMS IN DAVAO CITY, REITERATES IMPORTANCE OF BETTER FIRE PREVENTION EFFORTS ESPECIALLY AMID NEW YEAR FESTIVITIES

SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go personally led a distribution activity for fire victims in Barangay Leon Garcia in Agdao, Davao City on Thursday, December 28. The Senator visited Cong. Manuel Garcia Elementary School where he gave assistance to a total of 376 affected families.

The affected households received grocery packs, shirts, vitamins, masks, water containers, snacks, and balls for basketball and volleyball. There were also select recipients of bicycles, mobile phones, watches, and pairs of shoes.

Meanwhile, the National Housing Authority, Department of Labor and Employment, and Department of Trade and Industry assessed the affected families for their respective housing, temporary employment and livelihood assistance. The Department of Health (DOH) provided additional water containers to the affected families.

Furthermore, through the collective efforts of Go and the local government of Davao City, the fire victims will also be given financial assistance by the national government.

The senator was accompanied by Councilors Al Ryan Alejandre and Richlyn “Che-Che” Justol-Baguilod, among others.

Simultaneously, Go also sent his Malasakit Team to provide support to more fire victims in Brgy. Governor Vicente Duterte in the same city where they assisted 18 fire victims at Brgy. Governor Vicente Duterte Hall.

“Alam kong mahirap ang masunugan. Parang back to zero talaga. Pero tandaan natin, magsumikap lang tayo. Ang pera kikitain natin, ang damit malalabhan natin ‘yan, ang gamit mabibili natin ‘yan. Pero ang perang kikitain hindi mabibili ang buhay. A lost life is a lost life forever. Ang importante buhay tayo. Magtulungan lang tayong lahat. Nandito kami at ang iba’t ibang ahensya ng gobyerno,” underscored Go.

As a legislator, Go principally authored and co-sponsored Republic Act 11589, also referred to as the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Modernization Act. This Act requires the BFP to undertake and implement a comprehensive ten-year modernization plan.

Key aspects of this program encompass acquiring advanced fire-fighting equipment, hiring more firefighters, and offering specialized training, along with other improvements.

“Karagdagang kagamitan, karagdagang personnel, at regular education and awareness campaign. Importante po ang modernization ng Bureau of Fire, kita nyo po ang mga nasusunugan dito, sa bawat bahay na nasusunog, damay ang kapitbahay. Dikit-dikit ang mga bahay. Dapat po nandiriyan yung education campaign sa mga kababayan natin at ingat po, yung mga faulty wiring, illegal tapping ng wiring, delikado po ‘yun,” said Go in an interview.

“Importante turuan paano mag-ingat ang ating mga kababayan. Nakikiusap po ako sa ating Bureau of Fire (Protection) na paigtingin pa po ang fire prevention efforts dahil mayroon naman po tayong modernization (program),” he added.

In addition to the help he offered, Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, mentioned to his fellow Davaoeños that they can access medical assistance at the Malasakit Center located in the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) in the city.

Through RA 11463, a measure principally authored and sponsored by Go in the Senate, hospitals operated by the DOH and other public hospitals can establish their own Malasakit Centers. These centers aim to expedite and simplify the process of obtaining medical assistance, especially for patients who are financially disadvantaged or indigent.

There are now 159 operational Malasakit centers in the country since the program was initiated in 2018. More or less ten million Filipinos have benefitted from the Malasakit Centers so far, according to DOH.

The senator also highlighted his initiative to establish Super Health Centers on key locations nationwide including eleven throughout Davao City, with the goal of making basic public health services more accessible to communities in need.

Super Health Centers will offer database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy, and ambulatory surgical unit. Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service; oncology centers; physical therapy and rehabilitation centers; and telemedicine, which makes remote diagnosis and treatment of patients possible.

Go also mentioned the passage of RA 11959 or the Regional Specialty Centers Act, which he principally sponsored and is one of the authors in the Senate. This law, signed on August 24, marks a substantial stride in bringing specialized medical care closer to all regions.

The law requires the establishment of Regional Specialty Centers within DOH regional hospitals. This is a demonstration of the government’s dedication to improving healthcare accessibility nationwide, said Go.

There are specialty centers inside SPMC, which include cardiovascular care, lung care, neonatal care, trauma care, toxicology, cancer care, eye care, and dermatology care. It will also soon provide a renal care and transplant center, brain and spine care, orthopedic center, physical rehabilitation medicine, mental health, burn care, infectious disease and tropical medicine, and geriatric care.

Go, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, likewise supported the construction of various multipurpose buildings and local roads, rehabilitation of water systems, drainage systems, and flood control structures in different barangays throughout the city, the construction of a 300-bed capacity infectious diseases building for SPMC and the acquisition of ambulances.

“Kasama sa pangako ko noon, kahit saang sulok kayo ng Pilipinas, pupuntahan ko po kayo basta kaya po ng aking katawan at panahon. Wala pong bakasyon-bakasyon sa akin, walang Christmas break sa akin dahil yun po ang aking ipinangako. Nasunugan, baha, lindol, putok ng bulkan, buhawi… mula Aparri hanggang Jolo napuntahan ko na upang makatulong sa abot ng aking makakaya,” Go cited.

“Dito, parati na po ako dito sa Barangay Leon Garcia, makatulong sa mga kababayan nating nasunugan, makatulong sa mga pasyente, makatulong sa mga proyektong makakapag-unlad ng bayan at makapag-iwan ng kaunting ngiti sa panahon ng pagdadalamhati. Sa akin pong mga kababayan, ‘wag ho kayong mag-alala, magtulungan lang po tayo. Kilala naman po ang Piilipino sa pagtutulungan,” he continued.