PASAY CITY -- As Filipinos struggle to make a living amid the global pandemic, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, provided assistance to hundreds of beneficiaries in Lasam and Sanchez-Mira in Cagayan on Wednesday, July 14.

“Mga kababayan ko, kaunting tiis lang po. Alam kong nahihirapan po kayo, kami rin po ni Pangulong Duterte ay nahihirapan din po. Subalit kayo po ang nagbibigay lakas sa amin para malampasan po natin itong krisis na ating kinakaharap,” said Go in his video message.

Separate distribution activities were conducted at Allanay Multi-Purpose Hall in Lasam for 123 beneficiaries, and at Gymnasium and Evacuation Center in Sanchez-Mira for 231 recipients where necessary safety and health protocols were followed.

Go’s team, then, divided the beneficiaries into smaller batches and handed out meals, masks, face shields, and vitamins.

As Go aims to provide indigent students access to quality education, some recipients were given computer tablets that their children could utilize for their classes under the implemented blended learning set-up. Additionally, select recipients received new pairs of shoes, and bicycles that they can use.

Representatives from DSWD, then, conducted an on-site evaluation where qualified beneficiaries will be given livelihood assistance grants through its Sustainable Livelihood Program.

“Salamat po sa DSWD sa programang SLP-LAG. Bibigyan ho kayo ng puhunan, tuturuan kayong magnegosyo. Palaguin niyo po ang inyong negosyo,” expressed Go.

One of the struggling workers, Rafael Atable conveyed his appreciation towards Senator Go, saying, “mahirap po ang buhay, nawalan ng trabaho kaya tiyaga tiyaga muna para may pangkain sa pamilya. Kaya yung nakuha ko po dito (mula DSWD) ay ipandadagdag puhunan ko po para po kahit papapano ay magkaroon ng kaunting negosyo. Maraming salamat po, President Duterte sa tulong na ito at kay at Senator Bong Go para sa kanyang serbisyo.”

Meanwhile, as the Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Go offered additional assistance to those with medical needs as he encouraged the beneficiaries to visit the nearby Malasakit Center at Cagayan Valley Medical Center in Tuguegarao City to conveniently avail of medical assistance.

Signed into law in 2019, the Malasakit Centers Act mandates the establishment of Malasakit Centers in all hospitals managed and administered by the Department of Health, and the Philippine General Hospital. To date, there are now 129 Malasakit Centers nationwide.

To put an end to the pandemic, Go encouraged residents to get inoculated as he reiterated that vaccination is the country’s key to returning to normalcy. He, then, reassured that the government continues to strive to get sufficient doses of vaccines to reach herd immunity.

“Mga kababayan ko, focus muna tayo ngayon dito sa pagbabakuna. Mamaya na po 'yung pulitika dahil baka wala na po tayong pulitikang pag-uusapan 'pag hindi natin malampasan itong krisis na ating kinakaharap,” said Go.

To boost the economic opportunities and further improve the delivery of public service delivery in Cagayan, Go, as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, earlier supported the funding for the construction of a multi-purpose building hall in Sanchez-Mira; improvement of roads in Aparri, Amulung, Baggao, Calayan, Gonzaga, Iguig, Santa Teresita, Enrile, and in Tuao.

Concluding his message, Go gave recognition to Representative Samantha Louis Vargas-Alfonso, Governor Manuel “Manny” Mamba, Vice Governor Melvin “Boy” Vargas Jr., Lasam Mayor Dante Dexter Agatep and Vice Mayor Randy Cambe, Sanchez-Mira Mayor Asela Sacramed, and many other local leaders for spearheading their community to recovery amid the national health crisis. (OSBG)