PASAY CITY -- As part of his commitment to help more fire-hit communities recover, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Thursday, February 24, delivered assistance to 64 families who were affected by fire incidents in Barangays Quiot, Bulacao, Guadalupe and Sambag II in Cebu City.

Go's team provided grocery packs, meals and masks to the fire victims at the St. Jude Complex in Brgy. Bulacao while enforcing stringent safety and health protocols against COVID-19.

“Sana po’y nasa mabuti kayong kalagayan. Alam ko pong mahirap po ang panahon ngayon, nasa gitna tayo ng krisis dulot ng COVID-19. Kailangan pong magtulungan tayo, magbayanihan po tayo, at magmalasakit po tayo sa ating kapwa Pilipino,” said Go in a video message.

Personnel from the Department of Social Welfare and Development also provided separate financial assistance to the affected families. Meanwhile, the Department of Trade and Industry and the National Housing Authority assessed those eligible for their respective programs.

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority also assessed potential beneficiaries of its special training program.

Go offered additional aid to those needing medical care. He encouraged them to avail of assistance from the Malasakit Centers at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) and St. Anthony Mother & Child Hospital in Cebu City, Talisay City District Hospital, Lapu-Lapu City District Hospital, Eversley Childs Sanitarium and General Hospital in Mandaue City, and Cebu Provincial Hospital in Carcar City.

The Malasakit Center serves as a one-stop shop for the medical assistance programs offered by DSWD, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. Go is the principal author and sponsor of the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019.

Meanwhile, to ensure better fire protection services in the country, Go likewise primarily authored and co-sponsored Republic Act No. 11589 which provides a modernization program for the Bureau of Fire Protection.

Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Go also reiterated his appeal to the public to participate in the national vaccination program, saying, “Ang bakuna lamang ang tanging susi o solusyon sa ngayon upang unti-unti tayong makabalik sa ating normal na pamumuhay.”

“Nasa datos naman po, ‘pag kayo po’y bakunado mas protektado po kayo sa pagkasakit ng COVID-19 o ito pong grabeng pagkasakit ng COVID-19 at maiwasan po ang pagkamatay ‘pag kayo po ay protektado,” he added.

The senator went on to express his gratitude to the local officials for their efforts to ensure the well-being of their affected constituents.

As Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go has also supported numerous projects in the city, such as the rehabilitation and expansion of the multipurpose building area in Brgy. Duljo Fatima and construction of a multipurpose building for Balay Silangan, a reformatory program for drug rehabilitation patients.

Other major initiatives he supported throughout the province of Cebu include the construction of multipurpose buildings in Barili, Cordova, Ginatilan, Pilar, Poro, Tabogon and Talisay City; improvement of existing roads in Alcantara, Alcoy, Alegria, Asturias, Balamban, Boljoon, Borbon, Carmen, Madrilejos, Malabuyoc, Minglanilla, Moalboal, Pinamungajan, Poro, Sibonga, Sogod, Tabogon, Tabuelan, Carcar City and Naga City; improvement of flood mitigation structures in Catmon and Tuburan; installation of street lights in Daanbantayan, Asturias and Compostel; and acquisition of ambulance units for the local governments of Madrilejos and Naga City.

The lawmaker also recently sponsored a bill which will increase the bed capacity of the VSMMC from 1,200 to 1,500 beds to strengthen the city’s capacity to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The measure has been approved on the third and final reading in the Senate, together with 14 other local hospital bills.

Finally, Go reaffirmed his commitment to continue working with the local leaders to ensure the safety and welfare of Cebuanos. His team mounted similar relief operations for more fire victims in the city on February 22 and 23.

"Mga kaigsuonan, mga Bisaya, daghang salamat sa inyong tabang sa amoa ni Presidente (Rodrigo) Duterte. Kami pud, mga Bisaya man pud mi, utang kabubut-on, dili kalimtan. Ug timan-i ninyo, mga Bisaya, pinalangga mo namo ni Presidente Duterte," he remarked.

("Sa mga kapatid ko, mga Bisaya, maraming salamat sa inyong tulong sa amin ni Presidente [Rodrigo] Duterte. Kami rin, mga Bisaya rin kami, utang na loob, hindi nalilimutan. At tandaan ninyo, mga Bisaya, mahal namin kayo ni Presidente Duterte.") (OSBG)