Senator Christopher “Bong” Go visited the province of Rizal on Wednesday, 15 March, where he personally spearheaded a relief activity for fire victims from the towns of Taytay and Cainta.

The separate fire incidents affected over a hundred families and led to one casualty. Addressing the victims, Go reassured that he remains dedicated to extending his unwavering support for the affected households and exerting his utmost efforts to make certain that no one is left behind toward recovery.

“Nasa gitna pa tayo ng pandemya, nasunugan pa sila. Upang makapag-umpisang muli, dapat magtulungan lang po tayo. Sino ba naman ang magtutulungan kundi tayo pong kapwa Pilipino. Andito po ako para tumulong sa abot ng aking makakaya lalung-lalo na po sa mahihirap,” expressed Go in an ambush interview after the event.

The senator is the principal author and co-sponsor of Republic Act No. 11589, otherwise known as the Bureau of Fire Protection Modernization Act of 2021. Under the Act, the bureau is currently undergoing a ten-year modernization program that includes the acquisition of modern fire equipment, recruitment of more firefighters, and provision of specialized training, among others.

Meanwhile, Go reiterated that he will also continue crafting and supporting measures to assist fire and other disaster victims, and create a more disaster-resilient nation, saying, “As your senator, marami po akong isinusulong na batas (tulad) po (nitong) Department of Disaster Resilience at mandatory evacuation center sa mga siyudad, probinsya at munisipyo upang magkaroon ng maayos at malinis na evacuation center (ang mga disaster victims). At nandito rin po ang rental (housing) subsidy bill, nai-file ko rin po sa Senado para makatulong po sa mga nasunugan.”

Go has been pushing for his Senate Bill No. 192, which seeks to institutionalize the Rental Housing Subsidy Program to provide disaster victims better and more affordable access to the formal housing market through the provision of rental subsidies by the government.

He has also been advocating for SBNs 188 and 193 which aim to create the Department of Disaster Resilience and require the establishment of mandatory evacuation centers in every province, city, and municipality, respectively.

Held at the Exodus Elementary School in Taytay, Go and his team provided grocery packs, vitamins, masks, snacks, and shirts to the 119 affected households from both Taytay and Cainta towns. The senator likewise gave away cellular phones, shoes, bicycles, and watches to select individuals.

Go, who chairs the Senate Committee on Sports, also handed out balls for basketball and volleyball to several young beneficiaries as part of his vision to encourage them to engage more in sports and stay away from drugs.

Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development extended financial assistance to each affected family.

Personnel from the Department of Trade and Industry likewise assessed the beneficiaries who can qualify for its livelihood program.

Go, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, also reached out to the residents with health concerns and advised them to seek the services of the Malasakit Centers at Bagong Cainta Municipal Hospital, Margarito A. Duavit Memorial Hospital in Binangonan, Casimiro A. Ynares Sr. Memorial Hospital in Rodriguez, and Antipolo City Hospital System Annex IV.

Malasakit Centers are one-stop shops that provide poor and indigent patients convenient access to medical assistance programs from the DSWD, Department of Health, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, and Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. There are now 156 Malasakit Centers nationwide. Go is the principal author and sponsor of the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019.

Go also supported the establishment of eleven Super Health Centers across the province as part of his initiatives to bring government public health services closer to Filipinos. Together with his fellow legislators, Go was instrumental in ensuring appropriate funds were allocated for the construction of some 307 Super Health Centers in 2022 and 322 more SHCs for the year 2023 under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program.

Super Health Centers offer basic health services including database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy, and ambulatory surgical unit. Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service, oncology centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation center, and telemedicine, where remote diagnosis and treatment of patients will be done.

“Meron po kayong apat na Malasakit Centers dito po sa probinsya ng Rizal na makakatulong sa ating mga kababayan. Ang isinusulong ko (rin) ngayon (ay ang pagpapatayo ng mga) Super Health Centers sa buong Pilipinas. It is a medium type of polyclinic at magkakaroon din po ng maraming Super Health Centers dito po sa probinsya ng Rizal,” cited Go.

The senator, who is also Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, likewise supported several infrastructure projects in both towns.

In Taytay, Go supported the construction of a Sports Complex, the acquisition of an ambulance, and the construction of a drainage canal system. Meanwhile, in Cainta, he supported the acquisition of a firetruck and the rehabilitation of roads and drainage canal systems.

“So far natutuwa po akong ibalita sa inyo, after three phases (ay) napondohan (itong) isinulong natin noong presidente pa po si dating pangulong (Rodrigo) Duterte, ang inyong Taytay Sports Complex. Tuluy-tuloy naman po ang paggawa at hopefully makakabalik po ako dito at magagamit na ito ng ating mga kababayan natin dito sa Taytay,” expressed Go.

During the event, several local officials were also present, including Cainta Mayor Elen Nieto, Vice Mayor Ace Servillon, and former mayor Kit Nieto; Taytay Mayor Allan de Leon and Vice Mayor Pia Cabral, among others.

“Minsan lang tayo dadaan sa mundong ito. Kung anuman pong kabutihan o tulong na pwede nating gawin sa ating kapwa, sa ating mga kapitbahay, sa ating mga kababayan ay gawin na po natin ngayon dahil hindi na po tayo babalik sa mundong ito. Iyan po ang totoo. Ako po ang inyong Senador Bong Go, ginawa n’yo akong senador, kami po ay mga lingkod-bayan na patuloy na magseserbisyo sa inyo dahil kami po ay naniniwala na ang serbisyo po sa tao ay serbisyo po yan sa Diyos,” he ended.