PASAY CITY -- Senator Christopher “Bong” Go continues his commitment to help typhoon-hit communities. Even after years of recovery, Go’s team provided additional support to hundreds of Typhoon Yolanda victims in Tacloban City on Tuesday, July 13, to help them overcome the ongoing pandemic.

“Focus tayo na malampasan itong krisis na ito. At focus tayo sa pagresolba nitong pandemya at ito pong economic crisis na ating kinakaharap. Iyon po ang dapat nating isipin parati dahil kapakanan po ng bawat Pilipino ang nakataya dito,” expressed Go in his video message.

Go’s staff organized the relief operation at St. Francis Village Court, and to ensure the efficiency of the distribution of aid to 350 typhoon victims, the beneficiaries were grouped into smaller batches and received meals, masks, face shields, and vitamins while they strictly followed necessary safety and health protocols.

The Senator also sent new pairs of shoes to selected beneficiaries, while others received bicycles for a more convenient commute considering public transportation options remain limited.

As he aims to provide indigent students access to quality education, Go provided computer tablets to some recipients to help their children easily pursue their education under the blended learning set-up implemented in schools.

Apart from Go’s aid, separate forms of assistance were also carried by several government agencies.

Staff from the Department of Social Welfare and Development provided the beneficiaries with financial assistance while the National Housing Authority turned over land titles to each qualified beneficiary in attendance.

Meanwhile, the Department of Trade and Industry evaluated beneficiaries for their livelihood support through their Pangkabuhayan sa Pagbangon at Ginhawa Program. The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, in turn, determined individuals for their scholarship grants.

Continuing his remarks, Go reminded the beneficiaries to stay compliant with the health preventive measures against COVID-19 and encouraged them to get inoculated as soon as they are eligible as more vaccines become available in their area.

“Ang bakuna po ang pag-asa natin dito. Magtiwala ho kayo sa bakuna. Ang bakuna po ang tanging susi para unti-unti na tayong makabalik sa ating normal na pamumuhay,” said Go.

“Sana po bago mag-Pasko para naman po sumaya ang ating Pasko. Sa mga nasa priority list na po magpabakuna na po kayo. At sa mga nabakunahan na po ng two doses,” he added.

Lilia Martinez, a 77-year-old beneficiary, conveyed her gratitude towards the Senator as he continued to help more typhoon victims amid the national health crisis.

“Nagpapasalamat ako kay President at kay Senator Go dahil sa mga tulong na hinatid at nagkaroon kami ng sariling bahay pagkatapos ng super typhoon Yolanda,” Martinez said.

Martinez further expressed that she will take part in the vaccination program once available, saying “magpapabakuna po agad dahil ayaw ko pong mamatay nang dahil sa COVID-19.”

The Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, then, offered additional assistance to the beneficiaries who are in need of medical attention as he advised them that they may visit the nearby Malasakit Center at the Eastern Visayas Medical Center in the city.

Go authored and sponsored Republic Act No. 11463, otherwise known as the Malasakit Centers Act, that mandates the establishment of a Malasakit Center in hospitals administered or managed by the Department of Health, and Philippine General Hospital. Since its first launch in 2018, there are now 128 Malasakit Centers nationwide.

The Senator is also committed to push for Senate Bill No. 1228, a measure he filed in 2019 that seeks to establish evacuation centers in every local government unit in order to better respond to and support the needs of victims of disasters and calamities.

The proposed measure provides minimum requirements for an evacuation center, such as its location, accessibility, amenities, and management, among others.

“Makikita mo po ang Pilipino po ‘pag nagtutulungan kakayanin po nating malampasan itong krisis na ating kinakaharap. Hindi po namin kaya ni Pangulong Duterte ito. Kailangang namin ang tulong ng bawat Pilipino,” said Go.

Go, as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, seeks the economic progress of the community as he supported some infrastructure projects, such as the installation of road studs, and the improvement of the Tacloban Airport.

He, then, gave recognition to Representative Martin Romualdez, Governor Leopoldo Dominico “Mic” Petilla, Vice Governor Carlo Loreto, Mayor Alfred Romualdez, Vice Mayor Sambo Yaoksin, and to other local government officials who continue to support their constituents until their full recovery from the national health crisis.

“Nagpapasalamat rin po ako sa ating mga health workers, sa lahat po ng nag-volunteer po sa mga vaccination site, maraming salamat po sa inyong sakripisyo ngayong panahong ito,” he ended.

On March 18, Senator Go personally visited Tacloban City where he distributed assistance to 1,000 market vendors, and led the awarding of lot titles to 650 recipients.

Last June, President Rodrigo Duterte approved Republic Act No. 11567 that renamed the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center into Eastern Visayas Medical Center, and shall also increase the hospital’s bed capacity. The said measure is one of the 24 bills that Go has sponsored to improve the capabilities of various health facilities throughout the country. (OSBG)