Bong Go provides help to micro-entrepreneurs in flood-hit General Santos City

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go continues efforts to help boost the economic recovery of communities affected by calamities and other crises. His team delivered aid to flood-stricken micro-entrepreneurs in General Santos City on Thursday, 14 September.

Go's team held the relief operation at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) office. Eight small business owners received masks, vitamins, shirts, snacks, and balls for basketball and volleyball while there were also select recipients of shoes from Go.

Meanwhile, with the aim of bolstering local communities and nurturing economic recovery, DTI distributed livelihood kits to provide additional support for the recovery of affected micro-businesses.

"Ang programang ito ay ating isinulong noong administrasyon ni dating pangulong Duterte at patuloy na sinusuportahan ngayon para maipagpatuloy ang pagtulong sa ating maliliit na negosyante na naapektuhan ng sakuna at krisis," Go said.

"Tuturuan ang mga benepisyaryo na magnegosyo at bibigyan ng negosyo kits para palaguin ito. Masarap sa pakiramdam kapag pinaghirapan at pinagpawisan mo ang iyong negosyo at napalago mo ito. Ang maayos na kabuhayan ang isa sa mga magiging susi sa pagginhawa ng pamumuhay ng iyong pamilya," he explained further.

Moreover, Go reiterated his push for the passage of Senate Bill No. 188, which seeks to establish the Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR), The proposed SBN 188 aims to establish a Cabinet-secretary-level department to develop holistic measures for better disaster preparedness. In his video message, Go highlighted that, if established, the DDR would focus on three critical areas: disaster risk reduction, disaster preparedness and response, and recovery and building forward better.

By concentrating on these significant aspects, the proposed department aims to improve the country's ability to mitigate risks, effectively respond to disasters, and facilitate a sustainable recovery process for affected communities.

"Parati po akong umiikot sa buong Pilipinas dahil 'yan po ang aking pangako, pupuntahan ko po kayo basta kaya ng oras at panahon ko… Sunog, lindol, baha, buhawi, putok ng bulkan pinuntahan ko po iyan lahat para makatulong sa abot ng aking makakaya, makabigay ng solusyon sa problema nila, makabigay ng proyekto na makakabenepisyo sa lugar, at makapag-iwan po ng kaunting ngiti sa panahon ng inyong pagdadalamhati," he said.

As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Go reached out to residents with health concerns and advised them that they may visit the Malasakit Centers at Dr. Jorge P. Royeca Hospital in the city or South Cotabato Provincial Hospital in nearby Koronadal City.

Go principally authored and sponsored Republic Act No. 11463, also known as the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019. The center is a one-stop shop where poor and indigent patients may take advantage of the medical assistance programs offered by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, and Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. To date, there are now 159 Malasakit Centers nationwide.

Apart from the Malasakit Centers, Go has also been pushing for the establishment of more Super Health Centers across the country. In General Santos City, two Super Health Centers have been funded to be established.

The Super Health Centers offer basic medical services, such as 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 centers, and telemedicine, through which remote diagnosis and treatment of patients are made possible.

"Sa mga kapatid ko, sa mga kapitbahay ko, mag-ingat kayo parati at magdasal tayo. Nandito lang kaming mga lingkod-bayan niyo at handang magserbisyo sa inyong lahat sa abot ng aming makakaya, puntahan niyo lang kami at handa kaming magserbisyo sa inyo sa abot ng aming makakaya," said Go.

As vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go has also supported several projects in the province including the construction of roads in Banga, Lake Sebu, Norala, Tantangan, and Surallah; acquisition of a dump truck for the local government of Norala; construction of riverbank protection in Koronadal City and T'boli; installation of street lights in Koronadal City, Norala and Tupi; and the construction of a slaughterhouse in T'boli.

On the same day, Go's team also provided similar assistance to micro-entrepreneurs also affected by heavy rains in Lutayan and Columbio, Sultan Kudarat.