The team of Senator Christopher “Bong” Go visited Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu on Tuesday, May 16, to hand out assistance to struggling Cebuanos, including members of the youth sector and a fire-hit household.
Held in the mayor’s conference room at the Lapu-Lapu City Hall, Go’s team distributed snacks, masks, vitamins, and shirts to a total of 20 residents. In addition, a fire-hit family received grocery packs. They also handed out cellular phones, umbrellas, and balls for basketball and volleyball.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development extended financial assistance to further help the beneficiaries.
“Ang gamit po ay nabibili pero ang buhay po ay hindi. Ang nawalang buhay ay wala na. A lost life is a lost life forever, kaya mag-ingat tayo palagi. Magtulungan lang po tayo, mga kababayan ko. Makakaahon din po tayo muli,” Go said in his video message.
The senator principally authored and co-sponsored the Bureau of Fire Protection Modernization Act of 2021, underscoring the importance of addressing any fire-related incidents nationwide.
Under the said law, the ten-year BFP modernization program includes recruiting more firefighters, acquiring new fire equipment, and developing specialized training, among others.
Go, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, then urged the beneficiaries to prioritize their health and encouraged them to visit the Malasakit Center at the Lapu-Lapu City District Hospital, or any of such centers at Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, Cebu City Medical Center, and St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital in Cebu City.
Other Malasakit Centers in the province are located at Eversley Childs Sanitarium and General Hospital in Mandaue City, Cebu South Medical Center in Talisay City, and Cebu Provincial Hospital in Carcar City.
After witnessing the struggles of financially incapacitated Filipinos in securing medical assistance, Go initiated the Malasakit Centers program in 2018 which opened its first center in Cebu city. It was later institutionalized under Republic Act No. 11463, which was principally authored and sponsored by Go.
To date, there are 157 Malasakit Centers that have helped over seven million Filipinos, according to the Department of Health.
Meanwhile, to ensure that basic healthcare services are more accessible, especially to those residing in far-flung communities, Go also supported the construction of hundreds of Super Health Centers nationwide.
In Cebu, Super Health Centers were funded in the cities of Bogo, Danao, Lapu-Lapu, and Mandaue; and in the towns of Borbon, Cordova, Moalboal, Samboan, and San Francisco in 2022.
This year, more Super Health Centers were funded in the cities of Carcar, Cebu, Talisay, and Toledo; and in the towns of Carmen, Consolacion, Liloan, Medellin, and San Nicolas. An additional Super Health Center will also be established in Danao City.
Through the collective efforts of fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds had been allocated for 307 Super Health Centers in 2022 and 322 in 2023. DOH, the lead implementing agency, identifies the strategic areas where they will be constructed.
Super Health Centers 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 center; and telemedicine, where remote diagnosis and treatment of patients will be done.
As Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go likewise supported the construction of multipurpose buildings in Barili, Cordova, Ginatilan, Pilar, Tabogon and Talisay City; improvement of existing roads in Alcantara, Alcoy, Alegria, Asturias, Balamban, Boljoon, Borbon, Carmen, Madrilejos, Malabuyoc, Minglanilla, Moalboal, Pinamungajan, Sibonga, Sogod, Tabogon, Tabuelan, Carcar City and Naga City; improvement of flood mitigation structures in Catmon and Tuburan; installation of street lights in Asturias, Compostela and Daanbantayan; and acquisition of ambulance units for Madridejos and Naga City.
“Magtulungan po tayo, mga kababayan ko. Importante pong malampasan natin itong krisis na ating kinakaharap bilang nagkakaisang mamamayang Pilipino,” Go said.