Bong Go assists displaced workers in Pasay City

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go provided various forms of assistance to underprivileged residents and displaced workers from Pasay City. He emphasized the need for collaborative efforts to uplift the lives of Filipinos in distress who are still recovering from the adverse effects of the pandemic and other crises.

Go's team, in collaboration with Mayor Emy Calixto Rubiano, distributed snacks and shirts to 147 beneficiaries on Friday, 10 November. The senator's staff also gave away shoes, cellular phones, and balls for basketball and volleyball to select recipients.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) also conducted an orientation for qualified beneficiaries, who were introduced to DOLE's Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program. This program provides temporary employment assistance to those affected by economic crises.

"Sa pamamagitan ng programa na ito, ang gobyerno ay tumutulong sa mga manggagawang naapektuhan ng krisis at nakakapagbigay ng pansamantalang trabaho sa kanila," Go said in a video message.

"Patuloy po tayong magtutulungan upang mas mapabuti pa ang kalagayan ng ating mga disadvantaged at displaced workers. Magkasama tayo sa layuning ito na makabuo ng mas ligtas at mas matatag na lipunan para sa lahat ng Pilipino," he added.

Go recently cited a study conducted by Pulse Asia Research Inc. between 10 and 14 September, wherein it was found that 74 percent of survey participants expressed a pressing concern about the impact of inflation. The second-highest priority, identified by 49 percent of respondents, was the necessity to raise workers' wages, followed by the creation of additional job opportunities, which ranked third at 27 percent.

To further promote the welfare of Filipino workers affected by crises and ensure that those who reside in rural areas with limited job opportunities are taken care of, Go filed Senate Bill No. (SBN) 420, which seeks to offer temporary employment to eligible members of low-income rural households. Under the proposed legislation, the Rural Employment Assistance Program (REAP) would be created within the DOLE.

If this bill is enacted into law, REAP's primary objective would be to offer temporary job opportunities to individuals who meet the criteria for economic disadvantage, poverty, displacement, or seasonal employment.

Meanwhile, as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Go has likewise been at the forefront of championing healthcare accessibility for all Filipinos. In his pursuit to alleviate the burdens of financially incapacitated citizens seeking hospital care, he introduced a program called Malasakit Centers in 2018, aimed at consolidating government medical assistance programs under one roof for easier access. These one-stop shops aim to support impoverished patients in reducing their hospital costs to the least possible amount.

The Malasakit Centers program has since established 159 operational centers and has helped more than seven million indigent Filipinos, according to DOH. The senator informed beneficiaries that there are 31 Malasakit Centers across Metro Manila, including one at Pasay City General Hospital, ready to assist with their medical-related expenses.

Go is the principal author and sponsor of Republic Act 11463 or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program.

As part of his advocacy to bring Filipinos closer to quality public health services, Go also supported the construction of 28 Super Health Centers across Metro Manila, which aim to provide primary health services to communities.

Through the collective efforts of DOH, local government units, and fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds have been allocated under the Department of Health (DOH) for the construction of 307 Super Health Centers in 2022 and 322 in 2023. As the lead implementing agency, DOH identifies the strategic areas where these Super Health Centers will be established.

The Super Health Centers offer database management, out-patient, birthing, 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.

Go also emphasized the significance of the recently passed RA 11959, which mandates the establishment of Regional Specialty Centers. As principal sponsor and one of its authors, the Regional Specialty Centers Act mandates the establishment of regional specialty centers within existing DOH regional hospitals.

As vice chair of the Senate Finance Committee, the senator likewise supported a streetlighting project in Pasay City.