PASAY CITY -- Senator Christopher "Bong" Go continues to extend support to people in need as they try to overcome the struggles brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. On Wednesday, November 13, he sent his team to distribute aid to the communities of Sevilla, Bilar, and Sierra Billones in Bohol.

“Sana po ay nasa mabuti kayong kalagayan. Alam ko pong mahirap po ang panahon ngayon. Nasa krisis po tayo dulot ng COVID-19. Mga kababayan ko, magtulungan lang po tayo, magbayanihan po tayo at magmalasakit po tayo sa ating kapwa Pilipino,” Go expressed in a video message.

Go’s outreach team distributed snacks, vitamins and masks to a total of 6,000 beneficiaries. They also gave some residents computer tablets, new pairs of shoes and bicycles so that they can have better access to basic needs and services.

Meanwhile, personnel from the Department of Social Welfare and Development handed out financial assistance in a separate distribution.

The Department of Trade and Industry and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority gave potential individuals opportunities to take part in their respective livelihood and scholarship programs based on their evaluation.

Go’s team conducted three separate relief efforts at the Sevilla municipal gym, Bilar gym, and municipal public emporium in Sierra Bullones. The said activities were held in batches to ensure all health and safety protocols were strictly observed.

Go, Chair of Senate Committee on Health and Demography, offered further assistance and advised the public to avail of the services of the Malasakit Centers at Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital in Tagbilaran City and Don Emilio del Valle Memorial Hospital in Ubay.

Go is the principal author and sponsor of Republic Act No. 11463, also known as the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which primarily aims to help patients cover their medical bills.

“Nasa loob ng ospital ang mga ahensya ng gobyerno na tutulong sa inyo para maging ‘zero balance’ ang inyong billing. Tuloy-tuloy na itong programa dahil para sa amin ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte, hindi dapat pinahihirapan ang mga pasyente. Dapat tulungan natin sila para hindi na sila pumipila sa iba’t ibang ahensya para makahingi ng tulong sa gobyerno,” explained Go.

Go then encouraged eligible Boholanos to get vaccinated to safeguard themselves against the virus and help the country attain population protection leading to herd immunity. He also asked the local leaders of each municipality to closely assist their elderly residents as they are more vulnerable to the coronavirus.

In line with this, Go further revealed that his recent discussions with the President covered the proposal to offer cash incentives to fully-vaccinated members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program as a means of increasing COVID-19 vaccination uptake among the poorest of the poor.

“Alam niyo, 84 percent ng mga 4Ps beneficiaries ay takot pa sa bakuna. Kailangang paigtingin pa natin ang pagpa-intindi sa kanila. Hindi ako sang-ayon sa ‘no bakuna, no ayuda’ kaya baliktarin natin. Nakapag-suggest na ako kay Pangulong Duterte na bigyan ng 500 pesos cash incentive ang lahat ng beneficiaries para maengganyo sila,” shared Go.

Go, as Vice Chair of Senate Committee on Finance, supported several projects in the province to improve its public service delivery and create more economic opportunities for its constituents.

Among these projects are the repair and improvement of the public market in Bilar and the concreting of roads in Sevilla. He also supported the acquisition and installation of solar-powered street lights in Getafe; construction of a multi-purpose building and concretion of farm-to-market roads in Buenavista; improvement of a public market and acquisition of a multi-purpose vehicle and a dump truck for the local government of Clarin; and construction of the municipal slaughterhouse in Inabanga.

Other projects he supported are the construction of multi-purpose buildings in Dauis, Loay, Alicia, Anda, Balilihan, Batuan, Danao, Dimiao, Duero, Garcia-Hernandez, Guindulman, Loon, Valencia and Tagbilaran City; and improvement of evacuation centers in Panglao, Anda, Balilihan, Carmen, Corella, Garcia-Hernandez and Valencia.

Go concluded his message by thanking various government officials for their service and urged them to continue helping their most vulnerable constituents during these challenging times.

On November 12, Go’s team delivered similar assistance to 8,000 residents of Lila, Dimiao, Valencia and Garcia Hernandez in Bohol. (OSBG)