BONG GO URGES THE EXECUTIVE TO FULFILL DELIVERABLES UNDER BAYANIHAN TO HEAL AS ONE ACT; SAYS INCOMPLETE DELIVERABLES ‘UNACCEPTABLE’

Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go urged the Executive department on Thursday, June 4, to ensure that the objectives and commitments under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act (Bayanihan 1) will be fulfilled.

“Halos tatlong buwan na ang nakalipas mula ng ipinasa ang Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.  Pinaghirapan nating maipasa iyon,” Go, who also sits as a member of the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the implementation of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, aired.

“Nagtiwala kaming mga mambabatas na magagawa ng mga ahensya ang lahat ng kanilang makakaya within that limited period that the law is in effect. Ngayon na pinag-uusapan na ng lehislatibo ang panukalang Bayanihan to Recover as One Act o ang Bayanihan 2 Act, hindi katanggap tanggap ‘yung mga dapat naibigay noon ay hindi pa rin naibibigay ngayon,” the Senator added.
Go’s comments came after his privilege speech during the last Senate session wherein he lamented about the non-payment of the compensation for health workers who have died of or have been infected by COVID-19, as provided under said act.

“As the chair of the Senate Committee on Health and as a member of the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the implementation of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, I call upon the concerned agencies to remedy this immediately and release the rightful compensation for our health workers who have died of or have been infected by COVID-19, as provided by law,” Go said.

Go further explained that it is clear under the Bayanihan 1 law that health workers shall receive compensation once they are infected, hospitalized or expire due to the virus.

“Si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte rin mismo ang nagsabi na dapat mabigyan ng karampatang suporta ang ating health workers at ang kanilang mga pamilyang naulila. Kaya dapat na ibigay ang dapat ibigay.  Huwag nating hayaan na mabalewala ang layuning ito dahil natagalan ang proseso,” the Senator added highlighting that the President himself even emphasized the need to pay the health frontliners as they are risking their lives.

In a media interview with DZRH also on Thursday, Go said that heads must roll on the issue of delayed compensation for medical frontliners, adding that the President has expressed his anger over the delay.

“Siguradong may matatanggal talaga dyan, may mananagot. Galit na po ang Pangulo kanina nakausap ko. Sinabi nya kay Sec. Roque galit na siya. Sinabi rin niya sa akin galit na rin po siya,” Go said.

Expressing his own frustration and disappointment over the delay, the Senator also recounted how he fought for the budget of the health department to ensure that its offices retain their funding.

“Nung nakaraang budget deliberation, hindi pa nga, hindi pa natin alam na darating itong pandemic na ito, alam n’yo ba sa kaalaman po ng publiko na muntik tanggalan ng budget ‘yung RITM (Research Institute for Tropical Medicine) nung nakaraang taon. Wala pa itong COVID na ito, ipinaglaban ko. Sabi ko ibalik, i-increase n’yo ang budget ng RITM. Sino ang mag-aakala na ‘yun pa pinakaimportanteng opisina ngayon?” Go said.

The Senator also said that he fought for the restoration of the budget to pay for the salaries of health care workers to prevent their dismissal.

“Hindi lang ‘yun. Alam n’yo ba sweldo ng medical workers ay binawasan rin po hindi isinali sa budget. Sabi ko ibig sabihin mawawalan sila ng trabaho pagdating ng Enero? Hindi ako pumayag. Na-restore ang budget ng mga medical workers, nurses, doctors, medical workers po ng DOH. Pina-restore ko ‘yung budget nila dun sa budget deliberation, ipinabalik ko talaga at ipinaglaban ko ito na maibalik,” he said.

Go advised the public to let the concerned agencies act on the matter and investigate the issue and it is up to the President to decide.
“Basta ako nagsalita ako gumising tayo lahat dito sa trabaho natin, kung ayaw n’yo magtrabaho, nakikiusap kami ni Pangulo, ibigay n’yo na lang po sa iba na gusto talaga na magtrabaho na may malasakit sa kapwa Pilipino,” Go said.

“Nakakalungkot isipin sa panahon na ito, maraming nagpabaya kaya talagang stressed na rin po ang ating Pangulo, exhausted na rin sya sa kanyang pakiramdam. Even ako po, not only as a legislator, hindi ko na po matiis na hindi ko tulungan ang Pangulo,” he added.

“Mahirap itong laban na ito. Kita n’yo ang Pangulo, halos 24 hours nag-iisip kung ano po ang kabutihan ng bawat Pilipino. ‘Yan ang inuuna niya,” he added.

As for the families of health workers who have died due to COVID-19 and frontliners who were severely affected by the virus, Go said that his office is always open for them.

“Sa mga namatayan, nakikiramay po kami sa inyo. ‘Wag kayo mag-alala, hintayin n’yo lang po hanggang Martes na ma-release ang tseke ninyo. Kung may problema po, ‘wag kayo mag-atubiling lumapit sa akin,” he said.

In a June 1 report by the Department of Health, a total of 2,669 health workers in the Philippines so far have already been affected with COVID-19. The health workers include nurses, physicians, nursing assistants, medical technologists, and radiologic technologists.

“Our health workers are doing one of the most difficult and dangerous jobs against an unseen enemy — a sickness that until now has no cure.  They have paid the ultimate price—their lives—so that the rest of their countrymen and women will continue to live,” Go lamented.

President Duterte has given the agencies involved until June 9 to release the checks representing compensation for deceased and sick health workers because of COVID-19 infection.