Senator Christopher “Bong” Go remains steadfast in bringing support to Filipinos in need as he personally visited and assisted more than a thousand fire victims in Cebu City on Friday, October 6.
In his speech during a relief effort held at the Cebu City Sports Institute, Go conveyed his sympathy to the families impacted by the fire and assured them of his support.
“Alam kong mahirap ang masunugan pero ayaw kong mawalan kayo ng pag-asa. Tandaan ninyo, ang gamit mabibili natin, magsumikap lang tayo. Ang pera (kikitain) natin yan, magsumikap lang tayong magtrabaho. Pero ang pera na kikitain natin, hindi mabibili ang buhay. A lost life is a lost life forever. Kaya mag-iingat tayo palagi,” underscored Go.
“Kapag may nasunog na bahay, damay ang ibang bahay kaya ingat palagi at magtulungan lang tayo.
Sino pa ba ang magtutulungan kung hindi tayo lang naman kapwa Pilipino? Nandito ako para tumulong sa inyo sa abot ng aking makakaya, ang importante malampasan natin itong nangyari sa atin. Wag tayong mawalan ng pag asa, lahat ay makakaya. Mahal namin kayong lahat dito sa Cebu,” he continued.
Go was joined by Congressman Edu Rama, Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes, and Councilors Dondon Hontiveros and Francis Esparez, among others.
A total of 2,253 fire-affected households received grocery packs, masks, vitamins, and snacks from the senator. Select recipients also received bicycles, mobile phones, shoes, shirts, and balls for basketball and volleyball.
Meanwhile, a team from the National Housing Authority (NHA) was also in attendance and extended emergency housing assistance through its program that Go advocated for and continues to support its implementation to help disaster victims rebuild their houses.
“Mahal ko ang mga Bisaya. Bisaya rin ako, palagi akong bumabalik dito. Sunog, bagyo, buhawi, putok ng bulkan ang aking pinangako sa Pilipino na kahit saang sulok po sa Pilipinas, basta kaya ng aking katawan at panahon, pupuntahan ko po kayo,” cited Go in an interview on the same day.
“Mayroon akong dalang kaunting tulong para sa kanila, pagkain at pasasayahin rin natin sila.
Tutulong ako sa mga pasyente dito, tutulong ako sa mga mahihirap at sa mga nabiktima ng sunog.
Mayroong kaunting tulong mula sa aking opisina, mayroon rin tulong na pambili sa kanilang mga materyales – mga pako, mga yero na makakatulong sa kanilang mga pagpapaayos ng bahay na galing sa NHA,” he continued.
Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, said there are three Malasakit Centers in the city that they can visit for their medical needs.
Under Republic Act No. 11463, which Go principally authored and sponsored in the Senate, Department of Health (DOH)-run hospitals and other public hospitals can have their own Malasakit Centers to provide faster and more convenient access to medical assistance particularly for poor and indigent patients.
There are now 159 operational centers in the country since the program was initiated in 2018. More than seven million Filipinos have benefitted from the Malasakit Centers so far according to DOH.
Malasakit Centers in Cebu city are located at Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital, and Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC). Other Malasakit Centers in the province are available at Cebu Provincial Hospital in Carcar City, Lapu-Lapu City District Hospital, Eversley Childs Sanitarium and General Hospital in Mandaue City, and Talisay District Hospital in Talisay City.
The senator likewise highlighted his initiative to establish Super Health Centers in strategic areas nationwide to bring public health services closer to those in need.
“Ano ba itong Super Health Center? Pangalawang prayoridad rin natin ito. It’s a medium type of a polyclinic. Pwede diyan ang panganganak, dental, laboratory, x-ray. At mayroon itatayong (mahigit) 600 Super Health Center sa buong Pilipinas sa dalawang taon kasali na diyan ang 19 dito sa Island of Cebu sa Region 7,” cited Go.
In Cebu, DOH identified the cities of Bogo, Danao, Lapu-Lapu, and Mandaue; and the towns of Borbon, Cordova, Moalboal, Samboan, and San Francisco as locations for Super Health Centers in 2022. This year, more Super Health Centers will be established 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.
Super Health Centers offer database management, outpatient care, birthing facilities, isolation units, diagnostic services (including laboratory, X-ray, and ultrasound), pharmacies, and ambulatory surgical units. Additional services include eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) care, oncology centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation centers, as well as telemedicine for remote diagnosis and treatment.
Go also mentioned the enactment of RA 11959 or the Regional Specialty Centers Act, which he principally sponsored and is one of the authors in the Senate. This law, signed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. on August 24, represents a significant step in bringing specialized medical care closer to underserved rural areas.
The legislation mandates the establishment of Regional Specialty Centers within existing DOH regional hospitals. It is a manifestation of government’s commitment to enhancing access to healthcare across the country.
Inside VSMMC, there are currently three specialty centers, including cardiovascular care, neonatal care, trauma care. Furthermore, it will soon cater renal care and transplant center, lung care, brain and spine care, orthopedic center, physical rehabilitation medicine, infectious disease and tropical medicine, mental health, burn care, toxicology, cancer care, geriatric care, eye care, and dermatology care.
Go, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, also extended his support to the rehabilitation and expansion of a multipurpose building in Brgy. Duljo Fatima, the construction of a new multipurpose building in Bahay Silangan, and the acquisition of a mini dump truck for the city.
Earlier that day, Go was in Cavite as guest speaker of the 33rd Commencement Exercises of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Maragondon Branch, where he provided tokens to 480 graduates. Meanwhile, the PUP-Alfonso Branch also held its 7th Commencement Exercises where the senator also extended gift packs to 121 graduates.
Go then went to Cebu where he attended the Barangay Health Workers Summit in Cebu City. He also visited Lapu-Lapu City where he joined the ribbon-cutting and opening of a new wing at Lapu-Lapu City Hospital and celebrated Teachers’ Day at Hoops Dome.
