BONG GO VISITS RECOVERING FIRE VICTIMS IN PASAY CITY TO SUPPORT THEIR REBUILDING EFFORTS

FOLLOWING his visit to Muntinlupa City, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, along with Mayor Imelda “Emi” Gallardo Calixto-Rubiano and other city officials, personally gave additional assistance to recovering fire victims in Pasay City on Wednesday, April 17.

Attending to the needs of 106 households previously impacted by the fire, Go reiterated his ongoing support for distressed communities, assisting them with rebuilding efforts to aid their recovery.

“Sa mga nasunugan, ‘wag kayong mawalan ng pag-asa. Ang importante buhay tayo, ang importante magtulungan tayo. Ang gamit, atin ‘yang nabibili… ang damit ay malalabhan. Ang pera ay ating kikitain muli. Pero ang perang kikitain ay hindi mabibili ang buhay. A lost life is a lost life forever. Magpasalamat tayo sa Panginoon na nandito tayo. Pangalagaan natin ang buhay na ibinigay sa atin ng Diyos,” Go encouraged.

Held at the Jose Rizal Elementary School, Go and his Malasakit Team handed out snacks, vitamins, masks, grocery packs, shirts, and balls for basketball or volleyball to the affected families. Meanwhile, they gave away shoes, bicycles, mobile phones, and watches to select recipients.

Through Go’s initiative, the National Housing Authority then provided support to the fire victims through their Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP). The senator has advocated for and maintains his support for the NHA’s EHAP, which assists families displaced by fires, earthquakes, typhoons, and other natural calamities in rebuilding their homes.

Go then highlighted that homelessness in the country stems from various factors such as natural disasters, poverty, unemployment, and a lack of affordable housing. For this reason, the lawmaker continues to advocate for his filed Senate Bill No. 192, aimed at establishing the Rental Housing Subsidy Program.

This proposed legislation would create a housing and social protection program to offer disaster victims improved and more affordable access to the formal housing market by providing government-funded rental subsidies if enacted into law.

“Kapag laging may nasusunugan sa Pasay, tiyak na andiyan ang tanggapan ni Senator Bong Go upang tayong lahat ay tulungan. Hindi lang po tuwing sunog andito si Senator Bong Go. Kahit po sa kasiyahan, sa mga pageants nakakasama rin po natin siya at kahit ang mga kanyang staff na talagang nakikiisa dito sa lungsod ng Pasay,” Mayor Calixto-Rubiano expressed.

“At sa pagbibigay ng tulong, hindi lang sa mga nasunugan, kahit anong assistance, andiyan lagi ang ating butihing Senator Bong Go. Kaya naman we share with you the joy and the happiness. Dahil sa ating pagkakapit bisig at pagtutulungan, we are now able to give another assistance,” she added.

Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, also extended support to residents facing health issues, recommending they seek the services of the Malasakit Center at Pasay City General Hospital for medical assistance.

Malasakit Centers are one-stop shops providing convenient access to medical assistance programs from various agencies placed under one room to help poor and indigent patients. These include the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Health (DOH), the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation.

Go is the principal author and sponsor of the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, and there are currently 163 Malasakit Centers nationwide. According to DOH, these centers have helped over ten million Filipinos.

Earlier that day, Go spearheaded the launch of the 163rd Malasakit Center at Ospital ng Muntinlupa.

As Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go supported several forms of support to Pasay including lighting projects along Taft Avenue and Gil Puyat Avenue.

“Alam n’yo, tao lang din po ako na napapagod. Ngunit kapag nakikita ko kayong masaya ay masaya na rin po ako na uuwi ngayong araw na ito. Makatulong sa mga proyekto, makatulong sa mga pasyente, at makapag-iwan ng kaunting ngiti sa panahon ng inyong pagdadalamhati,” expressed Go.

“Tandaan po natin mga kababayan ko, minsan lang po tayo dadaan sa mundong ito. Kung ano pong kabutihan o tulong na pwede nating gawin sa ating kapwa ay gawin na natin ngayon dahil hindi na tayo babalik sa mundong ito. Iyan po ang totoo. Ako po ang inyong Senator kuya Bong Go, patuloy na magseserbisyo sa inyong lahat dahil bisyo ko na ang magserbisyo at ako po ay naniniwala na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo po yan sa Diyos,” he concluded.

After visiting Pasay City, Go headed to assist more fire victims in Tondo, Manila City.