BONG GO SENDS ADDITIONAL AID TO HUNDREDS OF RECOVERING FIRE-HIT HOUSEHOLDS IN LAS PIÑAS CITY TO HELP THEM REBUILD THEIR HOMES

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go provided additional assistance to recovering fire victims in Las Piñas City, on Thursday, December 12, to help them rebuild and recover.

Meanwhile, the National Housing Authority (NHA), through its Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP), which Senator Go initiated and has been a staunch advocate for, also provided emergency housing assistance to the affected families to help them rebuild their homes.

The EHAP is designed to provide relief and support to families who have lost their homes due to disasters like fires, typhoons, and earthquakes. By advocating for the continuous implementation of EHAP, Go aims to ensure that affected families receive the necessary assistance to rebuild their lives and homes.

“This program aims to provide immediate aid para makabili kayo ng housing materials tulad ng yero, kahoy, at iba pang gamit na kakailanganin para maayos ang inyong bahay,” Senator Go explained in a video message.

The Senator also encouraged affected residents, saying, “Mga kababayan, sa mga nasunugan, ‘wag kayong mawalan ng pag asa. Ang gamit ay mabibili natin ‘yan kung magtutulungan lang tayo at nandito kami handang tumulong sa inyo sa abot ng aming makakaya. Ang pera, kikitain niyo ‘yan kung magsumikap lang tayo pero ang perang kikitain ay hindi mabibili ang buhay. A lost life is a lost life forever.”

As part of his commitment to ensuring the government is ready and equipped to deal with fire-related incidents, Senator Go highlighted Republic Act No. 11589 or the Bureau of Fire Protection Modernization Act of 2021, which he primarily authored and co-sponsored, to further enhance the firefighting capability of the agency.

The law provides for a ten-year modernization program for BFP that includes acquiring modern fire equipment, recruiting more firefighters, and providing specialized training, among others.

The senator also underscored the importance of RA 12076, or the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act, which mandates the establishment of permanent, well-equipped evacuation centers across the country. A principal author and co-sponsor of the law in the Senate, Senator Go stressed the urgent need for such facilities to ensure the safety and dignity of disaster-affected communities.

During the said initiative held at Las Piñas City Hall, and in coordination with Mayor Imelda Aguilar and Vice Mayor April Aguilar Nery, 269 families received snacks, grocery packs, vitamins, and shirts. Select recipients also received a mobile phone and shoes.

Vice Mayor Nery expressed her appreciation to Go for his unwavering support and dedication to help the people in Las Piñas City. “Nung unang nag file ako, filing ko palang. Ang unang sunog na pinuntahan ko, alas dose ng gabi, nagulat po ako (dahil) pagdating ko doon nakita ko si Senator Bong Go. Sinabi ko sa sarili ko, ‘Itong taong ‘to sinseryo talagang tumulong sa tao.'”

“At ang mas ikinagulat ko sa lahat, meron pong sunog, lilimang bahay. Ang nakita ko po doon, si Senator Bong Go parin. Ganyan niya po kamahal ang mga taga Las Piñas. Alam niyo po, simula po ng tumakbo siya, lagi niyang pinaparamdam sa amin ni Mayor Mel at sa lahat ng mga Las Piñero kung gaano niya tayo kamahal,” she added.

Senator Go, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health and Demography and a health reforms crusader, also urged residents to focus on their health and utilize the medical assistance offered by the Malasakit Center at Las Piñas City General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center.

A brainchild of the Senator, the Malasakit Centers program provides a one-stop shop where concerned agencies, such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, are brought under one roof to ensure that medical assistance programs are within the reach of indigent Filipinos.

“Huwag ho kayong mahihiyang lumapit sa mga Malasakit Centers. Para po ‘yan sa Pilipino. Nalulungkot po ako tuwing may mga nag-aalangan magpatingin sa doktor dahil natatakot sila sa babayaran sa hospital. Pangalagaan niyo po ang inyong kalusugan at ang Malasakit Center ay handang tumulong sa inyo!,” he said.

Senator Go is the principal author and sponsor of Republic Act No. 11463, or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program. To date, 166 operational centers have helped more than 15 million Filipinos nationwide, according to the DOH.

“Patuloy kaming magseserbisyo sa inyo dahil bisyo ko ang magserbisyo at ako ay naniniwala na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo ‘yan sa Panginoon, serbisyo ‘yan kay Allah,” underscored Go who is known as Mr. Malasakit for his compassionate service to Filipinos in need.