PASAY CITY -- On Wednesday, April 13, Senator Christopher "Bong" Go traveled to the Island Garden City of Samal in Davao del Norte with his team to personally oversee the relief efforts for 1,500 struggling residents in Barangays San Agustin, Mambago B, and Kinawitnon.
The distributions were held at the respective barangay covered courts, where Go and his outreach team handed out relief items, including masks, grocery packs, vitamins, shirts and meals.
Go also provided select residents with shoes and phablets as well as bicycles for their commuting needs.
In a separate distribution, the Department of Social Welfare and Development extended financial aid to qualified residents through its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program.
During his speech, Go expressed his gratitude to the local leaders and repeated his resolve to continue supporting the Samaleños, especially in the face of the pandemic and other crises.
“Ako ang bisyo ko magserbisyo sa lahat ng tao, 'yan ang bisyo ko. […] Huwag niyo akong tawagin na Senador, tawagin niyo lang akong Kuya Bong Go o Bong Go,” he remarked.
In line with his commitment to prioritize the health and well-being of Filipinos, Go, who serves as the Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, also reminded residents that there are Malasakit Centers at the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City and Davao Regional Medical Center in Tagum City ready to assist them with their medical needs.
The Malasakit Center program is a brainchild of Go. It was initiated in 2018 and later institutionalized under the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which the senator primarily authored and sponsored. It is a one-stop shop designed to assist poor and indigent patients with their medical expenses by putting together all relevant agencies that offer medical assistance programs, including the DSWD, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.
“Mayroon na tayong 151 na Malasakit Center sa buong Pilipinas. Ang Malasakit Center ay batas na isinulong ko na pinirmahan ni Pangulong (Rodrigo) Duterte upang maging mas mabilis at maayos ang serbisyong pangmedikal para sa mga Pilipino,” said Go.
“One-stop shop 'yan… nasa loob ng ospital ang apat na ahensya ng gobyerno ang PhilHealth, PCSO, DOH, DSWD, tutulungan kayo hanggang maging zero balance ang inyong billing at wala na kayong babayaran sa inyong pagpapaospital – 'yan ang Malasakit Center,” he added.
The senator then urged those qualified yet unvaccinated residents to get their jabs against COVID-19. He stressed that getting vaccinated better protects them from severe symptoms of the virus and significantly helps hasten the country’s return to normalcy.
“Mayroon lang akong pakiusap sa inyo, kung hindi pa kayo bakunado magpabakuna na kayo. Dahil ang bakuna ang susi o solusyon para dahan-dahan tayong makabalik sa normal nating pamumuhay,” Go told the residents.
“Mayroong 244 million doses of vaccines na dumating sa ating bansa. Libre ito, galing sa gobyerno para protektado kayo. Mas maiiwasan ang pagkasakit at pagkamatay kapag bakunado kayo,” he stressed.
To boost the development of Samal Island, the senator has likewise supported the water system project in Barangays Pangubatan, Libertad, San Remigio, Kinawitnon and Miranda; construction of bypass road Jct. Babak-Samal-Kaputian Road-Brgy. San Antonio-Tagpopongan, Phase 2, IGACOS Circumferential Road; construction of a two-story multipurpose building and a farm-to-market road in Brgy. Tambo.
