PASAY CITY -- Senator Christopher “Bong” Go remains committed to helping more communities recover from crisis situations as he sent his team to organize a relief operation on Thursday, January 27, for families affected by the fire incident in Barangay Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City.

“Mga kababayan ko, magtulungan lang ho tayo, magmalasakit ho tayo, at magbayanihan po tayo. Ang gamit po’y nabibili natin, subalit ang pera pong kikitain ay hindi nabibili ang buhay,” said Go in his video message.

In strict compliance with the health and safety protocols, Go’s staff conducted the distribution at Nagpayong Multipurpose Building where they provided 73 families, composed of 256 individuals, with financial assistance, grocery packs, meals, masks and vitamins.

In addition, the team gave select individuals computer tablets and new pairs of shoes, as well as bicycles to help them with their commute.

A team from the Department of Social Welfare and Development provided separate cash assistance to the victims to help them recover from the damages caused by the fire.

Meanwhile, Senator Go expressed his optimism that the Bureau of Fire Protection will be more capable in dealing with fire-related incidents following the implementation of the BFP Modernization Act, which he primarily authored and co-sponsored.

The law provides for the bureau’s ten-year modernization program, which will include the recruitment of more firefighters, provision of specialized training, and upgrading and acquisition of fire equipment, among others.

On January 25, Go joined BFP in the turnover of 62 fire trucks to select cities and municipalities nationwide. The 1,000-gallon capacity fire trucks are part of a set of purchases made in 2020 which are expected to be fully delivered within 2022.

“Modernizing the country’s Bureau of Fire Protection has always been one of our main advocacies with President Rodrigo Duterte. Just like you, it is our vision to see a better and modern fire response service that is capable of ensuring that this country will be fire-safe,” said Go earlier.

Go also hailed the Duterte Administration’s commitment to transform the BFP into a leading institution at par with international standards for fire management and mitigation. He pledged to serve as an advocate lawmaker by supporting the agency's strategic goals and ensuring sufficient resources are provided.

“To better protect Filipinos, we need to further strengthen the Bureau of Fire Protection by improving its services and capabilities so that it can efficiently and effectively respond to incidents and other catastrophes,” Go explained.

Meanwhile, during the aid distribution, the senator also took the opportunity to urge the eligible beneficiaries to take part in the national inoculation program as soon as possible. He stressed that getting vaccinated has been proven to reduce the risk of contracting severe symptoms or dying due to COVID-19.

He further reminded them to keep adhering to the health and safety protocols even after getting vaccinated, especially as new COVID-19 variants and sub-variants continue to emerge.

“Huwag n’yo pong sayangin ang oportunidad. Kung ano po ‘yung bakuna na nasa harapan ninyo, magpabakuna na po kayo. Libre naman po itong bakuna mula sa gobyerno. Pinaghirapan po ng gobyerno kunin itong mga bakuna,” Go appealed.

In addition, Go offered to help those in need of medical attention. He also advised them to visit any of the 31 Malasakit Centers across Metro Manila, including Rizal Medical Center (RMC) in the city where they may seek medical assistance from the government.

First established in Cebu in 2018, the Malasakit Center is a one-stop shop designed to help particularly poor and indigent patients with their medical expenses by covering various patient services and fees. It was institutionalized under the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which Go also primarily authored and sponsored in the Senate.

Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go has likewise supported several projects to boost the economic growth of Metro Manila, such as the improvement of RMC through the acquisition of medical equipment and the construction of a seven-storey multi-specialty building inside the center.

Finally, Go expressed his gratitude towards the local leaders for helping the affected families recover from crisis situations, saying, “Salamat po sa inyong tulong sa panahong ito. Huwag n’yo pong pabayaan ang ating mga kababayang mahihirap po.”

The senator’s outreach team provided similar aid to more fire victims in the cities of Parañaque, Taguig, Marikina, and Quezon earlier this month. (OSBG)