PASAY CITY -- Senator Christopher "Bong" Go sent his team to the towns of Lezo and Malinao in Aklan on Saturday, October 16, to hand over relief to various sectoral groups in order to ensure that disadvantaged Filipinos are well-supported during this time of crisis.
“Mga kababayan ko, kaunting tiis lang po. Alam kong nahihirapan po kayo, kami rin po ni Pangulong Duterte, nahihirapan din po kami. Subalit kayo po ang nagbibigay lakas sa amin para pa po makapagserbisyo, upang malampasan po natin itong krisis na ating kinakaharap,” said Go in his video message.
“Kailangan po namin ang tulong ninyo, hindi po namin kaya itong gawin mag-isa sa gobyerno. Kailangan po ng tulong, kailangan po ng kooperasyon, kailangan po ang disiplina ng bawat isa,” he added.
As the struggle against COVID-19 continues, the senator appealed to the residents for their continued cooperation and discipline. He then urged individuals who are still hesitant to get vaccinated to join the national immunization program, which will protect them from the virus while also assisting the government in achieving population protection and herd immunity.
“Kung gusto ninyo makamtan natin ang herd immunity ngayong taon at makabalik na tayo sa normal niyong pamumuhay, magtiwala kayo sa bakuna. Huwag kayo matakot dito. Matakot kayo sa COVID-19 dahil nakakamatay ito,” continued Go.
In line with his priority as Chair of Senate Committee on Health and Demography to look out for the well-being of Filipinos, Go urged the public to prioritize their health care needs amid the ongoing public health emergency and advised them to avail of medical assistance from the Malasakit Center located at Dr. Rafael S. Tumbokon Memorial Hospital in Kalibo.
“Mga mga kababayan ko, mayroon na ho tayong 143 na Malasakit Center sa buong Pilipinas. Ang Malasakit Center po ay batas na, isinulong ko po noon, pinirmahan ni Pangulong Duterte,” said Go.
“Zero balance po ang target ng Malasakit Center, para po sa mga poor and indigent patients ang Malasakit Center, para po 'yan sa Pilipino. Lapitan niyo lang po ang Malasakit Center, handang tumulong po 'yan sa ating kapwa Pilipino,” he added.
Go’s staff organized separate activities to ensure an efficient and safe distribution for a total of 4,000 residents. The outreach team grouped the beneficiaries into smaller batches and strictly implemented necessary safety and health protocols all throughout the relief operations to prevent the further spread of coronavirus.
Go’s personnel handed out meals, masks, face shields, and vitamins to each recipient. They also gave some individuals new pairs of shoes and bicycles that they can use.
In addition, Go’s team provided computer tablets to select beneficiaries to help their children participate better in class under the blended learning setup.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development gave financial assistance to all beneficiaries while the Department of Trade and Industry provided further livelihood support to qualified recipients. Lastly, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority conducted evaluations for scholarship grants.
