1,650 Molave flood victims aided by SBG’s team

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go directed his team on Thursday, 16 November, to assist recovering flood victims in Molave, Zamboanga del Sur.

In coordination with Mayor Cyril Glepa, Go's team provided grocery packs and vitamins to 1,650 affected families at the Molave gymnasium. Selected recipients received shirts, and balls for basketball and volleyball.

"Magdasal po tayo at ipagdasal po natin 'yung mga mahal natin sa buhay. Ang gamit po ay nabibili. Ang pera po ay kikitain rin po natin, magsipag lang tayo. Subalit 'yung perang kikitain ay hindi po nabibili ang buhay. Ang nawalang buhay po ay wala na. A lost life is a lost life forever. Kaya pangalagaan natin ang buhay ng bawat isa," Go said in a video message.

Go recently co-sponsored Senate Bill No. (SBN) 2451 or the Ligtas Pinoy Centers bill primarily sponsored by Senator Jinggoy Estrada. The measure, based on the Mandatory Evacuation Center bill that Go earlier filed, aims to establish permanent, well-equipped evacuation centers nationwide.

"Alam n'yo, napapanahon na po na magkaroon tayo ng maayos na evacuation center sa bawat lugar. Hindi lang po tuwing puputok ang bulkan, kundi tuwing may bagyo, baha, sunog, lindol o ano pa mang sakuna para komportable, ligtas at mas mabilis makabangon ang apektadong komunidad," he said.

Meanwhile, Go urged the residents to utilize the services of Malasakit Centers for medical assistance they might need. The senator, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, encouraged them to avail themselves of the medical assistance programs available in the Malasakit Centers at Zamboanga del Sur Medical Center in Pagadian City and at Margosatubig Regional Hospital.

Initiated by Go in 2018, the Malasakit Centers program was institutionalized under the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which he principally authored and sponsored in the Senate. There are now 159 Malasakit Centers nationwide that have helped more than ten million Filipinos according to the Department of Health (DOH).

Go also continues to support the establishment of Super Health Centers across the country, to bring government medical services closer to the communities and make it more accessible to underserved communities.

Through the collective efforts of Go, DOH, local government units (LGUs), and fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds have been allocated for 307 Super Health Centers in 2022 and 322 in 2023. The DOH, which is the lead implementing agency, identifies the strategic areas where they will be constructed.

In line with bringing public health services closer to communities, Go is the principal sponsor and one of the authors of Republic Act 11959, or the Regional Specialty Centers Act. The law mandates the establishment of Regional Specialty Centers within existing DOH regional hospitals.

Go, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, supported the construction of multi-purpose buildings in Sominot, Tigbao, and Vincenzo Sagun. He also supported the construction of a new two-story public market in San Pablo.

Aside from these projects, Go supported road concreting projects in Sominot, Tabina, and Tambulig. He also supported the construction of an evacuation center in Tigbao. In Tukuran, he supported the construction of the NRJ Camanga-Tabuan-Man-Ilan-Manlayag-NRJ Navalan Road, and the installation of solar streetlights.