Bong Go provides assistance to recovering fire victims in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, in coordination with Mayor Erick Canosa, assisted seven fire victims in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental on Tuesday, October 10.

Held at the Negosyo Center Ground, Go’s team provided shirts, masks, vitamins, snacks, and balls for basketball and volleyball. There is also a select recipient of a pair of shoes from the senator.

The National Housing Authority (NHA), through the Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP) which Go advocated for and continues to support, also provided financial assistance for housing materials to the victims.

“Isinulong natin ang programang EHAP noon at patuloy ko itong sinusuportahan ngayon upang matulungan ang mga biktima ng sunog na makabili ng materyales para sa bahay tulad ng yero, pako, semento, at iba pang kagamitan,” Go said in a video message.

“Sa pamamagitan ng EHAP, bibigyan natin ng pagkakataon ang mga pamilyang nawalan ng bahay na makabangon muli. Magbibigay ito ng tulong pinansyal upang mabili ang mga materyales na kakailanganin sa pagtatayo o pag-aayos ng kanilang mga tahanan. Sa pamamagitan nito, hindi lamang natin sila tinutulungan na magkaroon ulit ng maayos na masisilungan, kundi binibigyan din natin sila ng bagong pag-asa,” he added.

Meanwhile, Go cited Senate Bill No. (SBN) 193, or the proposed Mandatory Evacuation Center Act, which aims to ensure the availability of permanent, safe and well-equipped evacuation centers in every city, municipality, and province across the country.

“Mayroon po akong nai-file sa Senado, ito pong Senate Bill 193, nasa Committee Level pa po ito. Kung maisabatas, magkakaroon ng mandatory evacuation centers sa bawat munisipyo, siyudad, at probinsya,” said Go.

“Alam n’yo, napapanahon na po na magkaroon tayo ng maayos na evacuation center. Hindi lang po tuwing puputok ang bulkan, kundi tuwing may bagyo, sunog, lindol o ano pa mang sakuna,” he added.

Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, offered to help those in need of medical care and encouraged them to get medical assistance from the Malasakit Centers located at Northern Mindanao Medical Center and at J.R. Borja General Hospital in Cagayan de Oro City.

Signed into law in 2019, the Malasakit Centers Act, which was principally authored and sponsored by Go, institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program to ensure that indigent patients have convenient access to medical assistance programs. There are now 159 Malasakit Centers nationwide.

Moroever, Go also championed the construction of Super Health Centers in strategic locations nationwide as identified by the DOH. This aims to bring primary care, medical consultations and early detection of diseases in grassroots communities.

In Misamis Oriental, necessary funds were allocated to construct Super Health Centers in Gingoog City, Binuangan, Libertad, Balingasag, Claveria, Initao, and Tagoloan. There will also be six other Super Health Centers in Cagayan de Oro City.

Through the collective efforts of fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds have been allocated for 307 Super Health Centers in 2022 and 322 in 2023. DOH, as the lead implementing agency, identifies strategic areas where these centers will be built.

Go, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, supported several initiatives in the province to ensure its progress amid crisis situations. Among the projects are the flood control projects in Magsaysay, Medina and Gingoog City; construction of multipurpose buildings in Initao, Magsaysay and Gingoog City; rehabilitation of local roads in Baliangao, Balingasag, Balingoan, Initao, Lagonglong, Laguindingan, Libertad, Lugait, Magsaysay, Manticao and El Salvador City; and construction of water systems in Balingasag and Jasaan.

The previous day, Go’s team was in Cagayan de Oro City where they assisted more fire victims.