Bong Go extends assistance to Zamboanga fire victims

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go provided assistance on Saturday, 25 November, to 49 beneficiaries affected by a recent fire in Barangay Calarian, Zamboanga City.

Go's team provided the beneficiaries with financial assistance, snacks, grocery packs, water containers, shirts, vitamins, masks, and balls for basketball and volleyball. There were also select recipients of new pairs of shoes from the senator.

Meanwhile, representatives from the National Housing Authority (NHA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) assessed those eligible for their housing and livelihood assistance, respectively.

Recently, Go co-sponsored Senate Bill No. (SBN) 2451 or the Ligtas Pinoy Centers bill, which was 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.

Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, encouraged those with medical concerns to visit the Malasakit Centers located at Zamboanga City Medical Center, Mindanao Central Sanitarium, and Labuan General Hospital.

"Meron na tayong 159 Malasakit Centers sa buong bansa. Ang Malasakit Center ay one-stop shop kung saan ang apat na ahensya ng gobyerno ay nasa loob ng ospital," explained Go.

Signed into law in 2019, Republic Act No. 11463, or the Malasakit Centers Act, which was principally authored and sponsored by Go, institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program to ensure that indigent patients have convenient access to medical assistance programs offered by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

DOH reported that the Malasakit Center program has already provided aid to more than ten million Filipinos.

"Sa mga pasyente, lapitan niyo lang ang Malasakit Center dahil para ito sa inyo. Kung may hospital bill kayo, nandiyan ang mga ahensya ng gobyerno na tutulong para mabayaran ito," said Go.

Go, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, supported the construction of a multipurpose building that will be turned into a sub-national laboratory capacity building for serology and molecular testing, and the construction of a children's park, and a two-story building inside Camp Navarro General Hospital.

"Palagi po kayong magdasal at magtiwala lang po kayo sa gobyerno. Palagi po tayong magtulungan at magmalasakit mga kababayan ko at sigurado po ako na malalagpasan natin ang kahit na anumang hamon," concluded Go.