PASAY CITY -- Following his team’s five-day distribution activity in Dagupan City, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go continued his commitment to help more sectors adversely affected by the national health crisis as he sent aid to thousands of market vendors and Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association members, returning overseas Filipino workers, and displaced workers in Umingan, Pangasinan.
In his video message, Go urged the 2,583 beneficiaries to get inoculated to help the country attain population protection and herd immunity fast. He also reassured them that the government continues to get more supplies of vaccines to ensure that more Filipinos are protected against the coronavirus.
“Mga kababayan ko, dumarating na po ang mga bakuna. ‘Pag nasa priority list na po kayo, magpabakuna na po kayo, libre naman po ang bakuna mula sa gobyerno para po protektado kayo,” Go appealed.
“Magtiwala ho kayo sa bakuna, huwag ho kayong matakot sa bakuna. Ang bakuna po ang susi o solusyon para unti-unti na tayong makabalik sa ating normal na pamumuhay,” he continued.
Go’s outreach team utilized two venues, the Umingan Auditorium and the Umingan Central National High School, and grouped the beneficiaries into smaller batches to ensure the safety and efficiency of the operation.
Go's staff handed out meals, masks, face shields, and vitamins to the recipients while they strictly enforced the necessary safety and health protocols to prevent the further spread of the virus.
Some received new pairs of shoes and bicycles that they can use to help ease their commute situation considering that access to public transportation remains limited. Others received computer tablets intended to help their children with their classes under the blended learning set-up.
Meanwhile, representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development granted each essential worker with financial assistance to further help them sustain their daily needs.
“Sa halos dalawang taon na pandemic, kami po ay nandoon lang sa bahay para hindi makasagap ng sakit at awa ng Diyos ay tapos na kami magpa-vaccine ng dalawang beses. Nagpapasalamat po kami kay Senator Bong Go na naalala niya ang lahat ng tao, lahat ng kagaya kong matatanda na dito sa Umingan,” Alipio Pumatok, a 71-year-old retired teacher, shared in an interview.
Aside from the aid distributed, the senator, being also the Chair of Senate Committee on Health and Demography, offered additional assistance to the beneficiaries with health concerns as he advised them to visit the Malasakit Center in Region 1 Medical Center located in Dagupan City should they need medical attention.
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, work hand-in-hand to help poor and indigent patients to reduce their hospital bills to lowest amount possible.
