“Nais kong magpasalamat sa DOLE para sa kanilang TUPAD program. Ito ay malaking tulong para sa ating mga kababayan, lalo na sa panahon ng mga pagsubok na ating kinakaharap,” Go said.
“Ang TUPAD program ay nagbibigay ng pagkakataon sa ating mga kababayan na mabigyan ng trabaho. Sa tulong ng TUPAD program, mas marami sa ating mga kababayan ang nakakahanap ng maayos na trabaho at kita para sa kanilang pamilya. Ito ay isang halimbawa ng pagtutulungan at pagkakaisa ng gobyerno at ng ating mga mamamayan para malampasan ang mga pagsubok na kinakaharap natin,” he added.
Go took the opportunity to highlight the recently signed Republic Act No. 11960 or the One Town, One Product (OTOP) Philippines Act which he co-sponsored and is one of the authors in the Senate. This legislation is aimed at fostering the growth of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across the nation.
Go cited that by promoting and supporting locally-made products and businesses, this legislation not only stimulates economic growth but also celebrates the rich diversity of Philippine culture and craftsmanship. It empowers small entrepreneurs, enabling them to thrive and create employment opportunities within their communities.
Senator Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, also pledged his support for more health initiatives. At the forefront of his agenda is the continuation of Malasakit Centers, which have proven to be instrumental in providing medical assistance to particularly poor and indigent Filipinos.
Go urged Filipinos to take advantage of the 158 Malasakit Centers scattered across the nation, including those at New Western Leyte Provincial Hospital in Baybay City, Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVRMC) in Tacloban City, Ormoc District Hospital in Ormoc City, and Leyte Provincial Hospital and Governor Benjamin T. Romualdez General Hospital and Schistosomiasis Center (GBTRGHSC) in Palo.
Malasakit Centers bring together representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. These one-stop shops aim to support impoverished patients in reducing their hospital costs to the least possible amount.
The Malasakit Centers program was initiated by Go in 2018 and was later institutionalized through the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which he principally authored and sponsored.
The senator also supported the construction of Super Health Centers nationwide. One such center was funded in Baybay City which he inspected last June.
Super Health Centers offer basic health services, including database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy, and ambulatory surgical unit. Other available services in Super Health Centers are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service; oncology centers; physical therapy and rehabilitation center; and telemedicine.
Go also highlighted RA 11959, also known as the Regional Specialty Centers Act, which he principally sponsored and is one of the authors in the Senate. The Regional Specialty Centers Act plays a pivotal role in the healthcare legislative agenda of the Marcos administration, as detailed in the Philippine Development Plan 2023 to 2028.
To further improve the health services in the province, Go also sponsored and successfully pushed for the passage of RA 11567, increasing the bed capacity of EVRMC. He was also instrumental in the enactment of RA 11566, converting the Schistosomiasis Control and Research Hospital into the GBTRGHSC.
Go, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, likewise supported the construction of multipurpose buildings in Alangalang, Babatngon, Carigara, Dagami, Isabel, Jaro, La Paz, Leyte and Tolosa; construction of the Merida Community Hospital; construction of flood control structures in Alang-Alang, Javier, Tanauan and Tolosa; and acquisition of dump trucks for the local governments of Isabel and Villaba, among others. (OSBG)
