Bong Go's team assists flood victims in Davao del Norte

Senator Bong Go continues to support communities affected by disasters in their efforts to recover and start over. To aid thousands of flood-affected residents in his home region, Go's Malasakit Team went to Davao Del Norte to aid affected residents from Tagum City, Asuncion, Braulio E. Dujali, New Corella, Santo Tomas, and Kapalong.

During the relief efforts on 23 January, which took place at the respective municipal halls, grocery packs were distributed to a total of 1,500 households.

Go also reaffirmed his advocacy through Senate Bill No. 188, which he filed, aiming to create the Department of Disaster Resilience. This bill proposes the formation of a dedicated department led by a Cabinet-level secretary tasked with crafting, implementing and adopting strategies to reduce disaster risk, enhance disaster preparedness and response, and strengthen recovery efforts towards building forward better.

As Chair of the Senate Health and Demography Committee, Go also emphasized the availability of Malasakit Centers at the nearby Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City and at Davao Regional Medical Center in Tagum City, which provide convenient access to medical assistance programs from the government.

The Malasakit Centers consolidate programs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office aimed to assist economically disadvantaged and needy patients by covering their hospital expenses and reducing out of pocket expenses to the lowest possible amount.

Go principally sponsored and authored Republic Act No. 11463, which institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program. The DOH reports that the program has significantly helped around ten million Filipinos, with 159 Malasakit Centers now operational nationwide.

The senator also continues to advocate for establishing Super Health Centers nationwide to bring primary care, medical consultations, and early disease detection closer to communities.

Through the collective efforts of the DOH, local government units, and fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds have been allocated under the DOH for the construction of 307 Super Health Centers in 2022, 322 in 2023, and 132 in 2024. This includes those in the province particularly in the Island Garden City of Samal, Tagum City, Talaingod, and two in Panabo City.

Led by Secretary Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa, DOH, as the main implementing agency, selects the strategic locations for these Super Health Centers.

Go also brought attention to Republic Act 11959, known as the Regional Specialty Centers Act, a law for which he served as the principal sponsor and one of the authors in the Senate. The Regional Specialty Centers Act shall create Regional Specialty Centers within existing regional hospitals under the DOH.

As Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go has supported various projects in the province, including the construction of roads in Asuncion, Braulio E. Dujali, Carmen, Tagum City, Kapalong, Panabo City, Santo Tomasm; construction of slope protection in Carmen; construction of multipurpose buildings in Carmen, Kapalong, New Corella, Panabo City, Santo Tomas; construction of flood control projects in Carmen; and the construction and rehabilitation of public parks in New Corella and Sto. Tomas.

Meanwhile, he also supported the construction of several roads, such as the road from Crossing Toril, Babak to Brgy. Sto. Niño, Babak District, the road connecting San Agustin Elementary School to Maximo Arellano Elementary School Brgy. Sto. Niño, Babak District, and the road from the Port of Brgy. Sta. Cruz to Brgy. Linosutan in Talicud Island, Kaputian District, all in IGACOS, Davao del Norte.

The senator's Malasakit Team also assisted thousands more flood victims in various areas in Davao Oriental and Davao de Oro.