PASAY CITY -- In coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Office of Senator Christopher “Bong” Go distributed assistance to more displaced workers in Santa Ana and Gonzaga, Cagayan Province on Saturday, July 17.

Go’s team conducted two separate relief operations at Santa Ana Municipal Gym and Gonzaga Municipal Gym for 88 and 257 beneficiaries, respectively. Go’s staff ensured necessary safety and health protocols were followed as they grouped the recipients into smaller batches while they gave out meals, masks, face shields, and vitamins.

Select recipients were then given new pairs of shoes while others received bicycles. Some of them were also provided with computer tablets for their children’s educational use.

Personnel from the DSWD, then, conducted an on-site assessment where they identified qualified recipients for livelihood assistance grants through their Sustainable Livelihood Program.

“Mga kababayan ko, andyan po ang ating DSWD sa programang SLP-LAG, ito po livelihood assistance. Tuturuan po kayo magnegosyo, bibigyan po kayo ng puhunan at palaguin nyo po itong negosyo. Ang kita po ay dalhin ninyo sa inyong pamilya,” said Go in his video message.

As a mother and person with disability, Melody Eligado admitted that she struggles to sustain her small family since the COVID-19 pandemic hit their community.

She further shared that she remains optimistic despite the challenges her family continues to face, and expressed her gratitude to Go and to DSWD as the assistance they provided will greatly help her sari-sari store.

“Iipunin ko po ‘yung mga tulong para po sa anak ko kasi malapit na po siya magsimula mag-aral. Gusto ko rin po palawakin pa ito para mas lalo po kami umangat kahit ganito po ang sitwasyon ko,” Eligado said.

“Para po sa mga katulad ko, huwag po tayong susuko. Huwag po tayong susuko dahil habang may buhay, may pag-asa. Para po kay Senator Bong Go, maraming maraming salamat po sa inyo. Sana po ay pagpalain kayo lalo ng Panginoon,” she added.

As Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Go offered additional assistance as he advised the beneficiaries or their loved ones with health concerns that they can visit the nearby Malasakit Center at Cagayan Valley Medical Center in Tuguegarao City.

First established in 2018, the Malasakit Center is a one-stop shop where concerned agencies, such as DSWD, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, give access to their respective medical assistance programs and assist indigent patients to cover their medical expenses.

Continuing his message, Go reassured the public that the government is committed to providing sufficient doses of vaccines for Filipinos especially for those under the priority sectors. He appealed to them to get inoculated once eligible to hasten the return of the country to normalcy.

“Sa mga nasa priority list na po, magpabakuna na po kayo. Importante po rito disiplina. At pakiusap ko lang po sa inyo, magtiwala ho kayo sa gobyerno. Magtiwala ho kayo sa bakuna,” expressed Go.

“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 po natin nalampasan itong krisis na ating kinakaharap,” he added.

To boost the economic opportunities and further improve public service delivery in Cagayan, Go, as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, earlier supported the funding for various infrastructure initiatives such as the construction of a multi-purpose building hall in Sanchez-Mira; concreting or improvement of roads in Aparri, Amulung, Baggao, Calayan, Gonzaga, Iguig, Santa Teresita, Santa Ana, Enrile, Tuao, Tuguegarao City; and many more. He also supported the funding for the construction of the Zinundungan River control system, and installation of streetlights in Camalaniugan.

Go, then, expressed his appreciation towards Representative Ramon Nolasco, Governor Manuel “Manny” Mamba, Vice Governor Melvin “Boy” Vargas Jr., Santa Ana Mayor Nelson Robinion and Vice Mayor Gaylord Ibus, Gonzaga Mayor Marilyn Pentecostes and Vice Mayor Jessie Gaspar, and other local leaders and frontliners who continue to work hand-in-hand to ensure their constituents recover from the global pandemic.

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

From July 12 to 16, similar forms of assistance were also given to beneficiaries of neighboring towns, including Claveria, Pamplona, Abulug, Ballesteros, Lasam, Sanchez-Mira, Iguig, Alcala, Sta. Teresita, and Buguey. (OSBG)