PASAY CITY -- After providing aid to typhoon victims last December 3, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go continued his efforts to more of his fellow Davaoeños as he and his team conducted another batch of aid distribution activities for 2,751 beneficiaries, composed of members of the LGBT community, indigents, and additional typhoon victims, in Davao City on Saturday, December 4.

Go’s team organized three separate activities at the respective gymnasiums of Barangays Santo Niño and Alambre, and People’s Park where they grouped the beneficiaries into smaller batches to ensure their safety and in compliance with COVID-19 health protocols.

The team proceeded to distribute food and masks to the beneficiaries. In addition, they gave grocery packs to the LGBT members and typhoon victims. Go's outreach team also gave away new pairs of shoes, bicycles, and computer tablets to some beneficiaries.

Furthermore, the Department of Social Welfare and Development separately provided financial assistance to help struggling residents with their daily needs.

The Department of Trade and Industry and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, in turn, conducted an on-site assessment where qualified recipients will be given the opportunity to join their respective livelihood and scholarship programs.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health raised awareness on key health concerns such as HIV/AIDS and COVID-19. The team from DOH also gave away additional supplies of masks, shields, and medicine packs.

Lastly, the Department of Labor and Employment assessed beneficiaries and provided them with livelihood assistance through its Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers.

In the afternoon, the senator took his time to interact with the members of the LGBT community, listen to their concerns, and check on their current situation as he paid a short visit to monitor the distribution of assistance at People’s Park.

As an advocate of LGBT rights, the senator also highlighted in his speech that Davao City was one of the local government units in the country that implemented an anti-discrimination law to protect the welfare and interests of various sectors in the community.

"Alam ninyo kung gaano kalapit sa amin ni Presidente Duterte ang mga LGBTQ community. Every Christmas, nagtitipon-tipon tayo noon at (alam ninyo) kung gaano namin kayo kamahal at para sa amin, pantay-pantay dapat tayo," Go said.

"Ang importante, ating ipaalala sa ating utak pareho tayong lahat na Pilipino, 'yan ang pinaka importante. Rest assured, basta nandyan pa ako sa Senado, ipaglalaban ko po ang karapatan ng LGBT, asahan ninyo po ‘yan," he vowed.

Go also promised his fellow Davaoeños that his office will continue to spearhead bayanihan efforts to ensure that no Filipino is left behind towards recovery.

"Pagdating ng panahon, kahit na brgy. captain o kahit na ordinaryong mamamayan na lang po ako, private citizen, huwag po kayong mag-atubiling lumapit po sa akin," Go said.

"Nandirito po ako, ang inyong Kuya Bong Go na handang magserbisyo po sa inyong lahat sa abot ng aking makakaya dahil mahal na mahal ko po ang aking kapwa Pilipino," he added.

He then reassured that the Duterte Administration is working hard to hasten the country’s vaccination efforts and ensure economic recovery while continuing to extend much needed support to struggling individuals and vulnerable groups.

"Maraming naghihirap na mga kapatid natin ngayon. Marami ang nawalan ng trabaho, maraming nagsara na parlors, dahil maraming bawal, maraming restrictions dahil hindi puwedeng mag-contact. Noong nakaraan, mabuti na lang ngayon unti-unti nang nagbukas dahil 'yan sa bakuna," Go cited.

"Kung sino pa 'yung hindi bakunado, magpabakuna na po. Libre po itong bakuna, pinaghirapan po ito ng gobyerno itong mga bakunang ito. Huwag niyo pong sayangin ang tyansa (dahil) libre naman po ito," he urged.

Go, who is also the Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, offered help to those with medical concerns as he advised them or their loved ones to visit the Malasakit Center at the Southern Philippines Medical Center in the city or any of the other 148 centers found nationwide for convenient access to medical assistance programs.

The Malasakit Center is a one-stop shop where medical assistance programs by concerned agencies are put together to be conveniently accessible to poor and indigent patients. The program was institutionalized through the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019 which Go primarily authored and sponsored in the Senate.

"Nasa loob na ng ospital ang apat na ahensya diyan sa SPMC, puntahan lang ninyo ito - Malasakit Center, para ito sa mga Pilipino, para sa mga poor and indigent patients, walang pinipili ito basta Pilipino ka," Go encouraged.

The senator then expressed his gratitude towards the local officials of Davao City for their untiring service and exemplary leadership amid the various crises that the community is facing. Among those that Go acknowledged were Representatives Paolo Duterte, Vincent Garcia and Isidro Ungab, Mayor Sara “Inday” Duterte, Vice Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, and Councilor Che-Che Justol, among others.

“Ako naman po (ang) ipinangako ko sa inyo (ay) kahit saan sulok kayo ng Pilipinas pupuntahan ko po kayo basta kaya lang po ng aking katawan yan po ang aking isnumpaang tungkulin,” Go vowed.

“Patuloy po akong iikot (para) makabigay ng solusyon sa inyo. Makatulong man lang ng kaunti sa inyong mga probelma at makaiwan po ng kaunting ngiti sa panahon ng inyong pagdadalamhati,” he continued.

As Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go has extended support to several infrastructure initiatives in the city to improve its public service delivery and boost economic opportunities in his hometown.

Among these projects are the construction of multi-purpose buildings within the compound of SPMC Institute of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine and in the City Library Complex; acquisition of ambulance units and the construction of 300-bed capacity infectious disease building in SPMC; acquisition of a multi-purpose vehicle and a mini dump truck in Brgys. Callawa, Panacan, Lapu-Lapu, and Cabantian; and construction of drainage systems in Brgys. Centro Agdao, Gov. Paciano Bangoy, Bunawan Proper, Tomas Monteverde Sr. Agdao, and Mintal.

"Ayaw ko po maalala ako ng Pilipino na isang pulitiko. Ayaw kong maalala niyo ako bilang senador. Gusto ko po maaalala ako ng Pilipino na isang public servant na nagseserbisyo po sa kanyang kapwa Pilipino,” Go concluded. (OSBG)