Bong Go gives support to MSMEs in Lemery, Iloilo

Senator Bong Go reaffirmed, through a video message during his team's visit to Lemery, Iloilo on Wednesday, 30 August, his efforts to improve the lives of Filipinos by providing more livelihood opportunities especially to those adversely affected by various crises.

One of his significant accomplishments in this pursuit is the One Town, One Product (OTOP) Philippines Act, Republic Act No. 11960, legislation aimed at fostering the growth of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises across the nation.

The OTOP Philippines Program, authored and co-sponsored by Go, is a government initiative in which each town or city in the country can harness its unique product or service that reflects its identity, culture, and tradition. By maximizing local resources, the program not only stimulates economic activity but also promotes cultural preservation, underlined Go.

Go has also been an advocate for the Department of Trade and Industry's (DTI) Pangkabuhayan sa Pagbangon at Ginhawa (PPG) Program which he pursued during the Duterte administration and continues to support its implementation until now.

It is for this reason that Go's team, in support of DTI, joined in the provision of livelihood kits for 15 small-scale entrepreneurs at the municipal gymnasium in Lemery. The qualified beneficiaries are recovering typhoon victims who were assisted by Go through his earlier relief efforts.

Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography has also taken proactive steps to extend additional support to individuals grappling with health-related challenges. He has encouraged beneficiaries and their families to take advantage of the Malasakit Centers situated within the province to access medical assistance.

The Malasakit Centers can be conveniently found at various locations in the province: the Don Jose S. Monfort Medical Center Extension Hospital in Barotac Nuevo, the Western Visayas Sanitarium and General Hospital in Santa Barbara, as well as the West Visayas State University Medical Center and the Western Visayas Medical Center in Iloilo City.

Go also supported the construction of Super Health Centers in the province including one in Lemery. DOH has identified other areas where to establish more Super Health Centers including Iloilo City and the towns of Anilao, Concepcion, Estancia, Carles, Dingle, Guimbal, Janiuay, Igbaras, Lambunao, Maasin, Miag-ao, Oton, Pavia, Pototan, Santa Barbara, Tigbauan, San Joaquin, Sara, and Barotac Viejo — the last one's groundbreaking was attended by Go last June.

As vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go has also supported various infrastructure initiatives to help improve the delivery of basic services in the province, such as the construction of multipurpose buildings in Barotac Viejo, completion of various barangay health stations throughout Iloilo City and the construction of a multipurpose building in the Iloilo City Public Market.

Other major initiatives he supported include the concreting or construction of roads in Badiangan, Banate, Carles, Dumangas, Lemery, Miag-ao, and Sara; completion of the barangay health stations in Leon; construction of a flood control system in Balasan; construction of a seawall in Banate; construction of the legislative building complete with facilities in San Dionisio; and improvement of the public parks in Duenas.

Go also sponsored a law that increased the bed capacity and converted Western Visayas Sanitarium to what is now known as WVSGH, and another to upgrade the Don Jose D. Monfort Medical Center Extension Hospital in Barotac Nuevo into a tertiary hospital known as the Don Jose S. Monfort Medical Center.

On 14 August, struggling residents in Janiuay received assistance from Go's office.