The Office of Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go conducted a relief activity recently for vulnerable residents of Aritao and Bambang in Nueva Vizcaya who are struggling to provide for their families due to the ongoing health crisis.

The senator stressed that the poor and vulnerable people are the ones who are adversely affected by the ongoing coronavirus disease pandemic and called on the government to prioritize projects that will alleviate poverty in the country.

In line with his message, the lawmaker's team handed out meals, masks and shirts to 509 residents at their respective municipal gymnasiums and provided select residents with shoes and phablets.

They also gave away bicycles and balls for basketball and volleyball to others as part of Go's efforts to encourage more Filipinos to engage in sports instead of vices.

Meantime, personnel from the Department of Social Welfare and Development also extended livelihood assistance grants.

Go, who heads the Senate Committee on Health, also offered additional assistance to beneficiaries with health concerns. He encouraged them to seek the services of the Malasakit Center at Region II Trauma and Medical Center in Bayombong where they will be assisted with their hospital expenses.

The Malasakit Center is a one-stop shop which aims to reduce the hospital bills of particularly poor and indigent patients to the lowest amount possible. It brings together the agencies which offer medical assistance, namely, the DSWD, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

The program was institutionalized under Republic Act 11463, also known as the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which Go principally authored and sponsored. It has assisted more than three million patients nationwide since its launch in 2018.

The senator concluded his message by giving recognition to the local officials and appealing for them to continue extending their support to their constituents especially amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

To recall, Go has supported numerous projects in the province. Among these projects are the construction of a multipurpose building in Bayombong; road improvement in Ambaguio, Dupax del Norte and Kayapa; construction of multipurpose building in Bambang; construction of municipal building in Kayapa; construction of an evacuation center in Dupax del Sur; provision of potable water supply in Barangays Baliling and Bacneng in Sta. Fe; and acquisition of a dump truck and a multipurpose vehicle in Quezon town.