Senator Bong Go had his team organize separate relief operations for four fire-hit households from M’lang and Pikit, Cotabato, and Datu Salibo, Maguindanao del Sur on Tuesday, 14 March.

The relief activities were mounted at the respective Department of Social Welfare and Development- Crisis Intervention Unit Offices in Kidapawan City for the three families from M’lang and Pikit towns, and in Cotabato City for a family from Datu Salibo.

Go and his staff provided grocery packs, snacks, masks, shirts, vitamins, and balls for basketball to each affected household while the DSWD extended financial assistance to help them sustain their basic needs.

The senator reiterated that he will continue to extend necessary assistance to distressed Filipinos to hasten their recovery. For his part as a senator, he primarily authored and co-sponsored the passage of Republic Act No. 11589, otherwise known as the Bureau of Fire Protection Modernization Act.

The Malasakit Center is a one-stop shop where particularly poor and indigent patients may conveniently apply for medical assistance from concerned agencies, including DSWD, the Department of Health, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

Go then mentioned that there are Super Health Centers in the province of Cotabato. In 2022, the senator supported the construction of a Super Health Center each in Kidapawan City, and the towns of Banisilan, Libungan, and Arakan — the last one having been personally inspected by Go in October last year.

This year, Super Health Centers will also be established in the towns of Magpet, Aleosan, Midsayap, Pigcawayan, President Roxas, and Tulunan. Another Super Health Center will also be established in Kidapawan City. A Super Health Center is an improved version of a rural health unit.

Go, who is also Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, has likewise supported several projects in the province of Cotabato, such as the construction of the Arakan, Natutungan, and Bangbang barangay halls in Matalam; concreting farm-to-market and local roads in Alamada, Banisilan, Libungan, Midsayap, and President Roxas; construction of bridges in Arakan, Kabacan, and Tulunan; construction or rehabilitation of drainage canals in Kabacan and Pikit; and construction of potable water system facilities in Tulunan.

In Maguindanao del Sur, Go was instrumental in the construction of several multipurpose buildings and the rehabilitation and widening of Cotabato-Marbel-Ala Road, as well as a new sports complex currently being constructed in Datu Abdullah Sangki town.

Last 15  February, Go’s outreach team was also in the town of Magpet and provided assistance to more fire victims.