Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, known for his steadfast advocacy on fire safety and preparedness, provided immediate relief to fire victims in Parañaque City on Thursday, 5 September.

Go has been instrumental as principal author and co-sponsor in pushing for the enactment of Republic Act No. 11589, or the Bureau of Fire Protection Modernization Act of 2021, aimed at enhancing the BFP's capabilities in mitigating and responding to fire-related incidents.

“Sa lahat po ng mga kababayan ko na nasunugan, kumusta po kayo? Sana po’y nasa mabuti kayong kalagayan at sana po’y walang nasaktan sa inyo. Importante po sa akin na walang nasaktan. Magtulungan lang po tayo,” Go expressed in a video message during the relief operation at Sitio Fatima San Antonio Valley 6 in Barangay San Isidro.

“Ang gamit naman po nabibili natin. Alam ko mahirap masunugan, pero ang gamit po’y nabibili natin. Ang pera po’y kikitain natin, subalit ‘yung perang kikitain natin ay hindi nabibili ang buhay. ‘Pag nawala na po ang buhay, wala na po. A lost life is a lost life forever. Kaya magtulungan lang po tayo. Sino ba namang magtutulungan kung hindi tayo lang pong mga kapwa nating Pilipino,” he added.

Signed into law by former President Rodrigo Duterte, the Bureau of Fire Protection Modernization Act mandates the modernization of the BFP to improve its capacity to prevent and respond to fire incidents. The Act also requires the BFP to conduct regular fire prevention campaigns and information drives in collaboration with local government units and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

In coordination with Barangay Captain Noel Japlos, Go’s Malasakit Team distributed essential items, such as snacks, grocery packs, water containers, vitamins, masks, shirts, basketballs, and volleyballs, to 108 affected families. There were also select recipients of shoes and a mobile phone.

As the Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Go reiterated his commitment to accessible and quality healthcare, urging residents in need of medical assistance to visit the Malasakit Center at Ospital ng Parañaque or any of the other 30 centers across Metro Manila.

The Malasakit Centers program, initiated by Go in 2018, was institutionalized through Republic Act No. 11463, which he principally authored and sponsored, providing convenient access to government medical assistance programs. To date, there are more or less ten million Filipinos who benefitted from the program, according to the Department of Health.

“Mayroon po tayong 166 na Malasakit Center na handang tumulong sa inyo. Ang Malasakit Center ay para sa inyo lahat, para bumaba ang inyong hospital billing. Lapitan niyo lang po ang Malasakit center para po yan sa inyo para po yan sa poor and indigent patient para po yan sa Pilipino,” Go emphasized.

“Salamat po mga kababayan ko. Tawagin niyo na lang ako na Kuya Bong Go, Bong Go, o Senador Bong Go kapag nagkita po tayo. Kalabitan nyo lang. Ang bisyo ko po ay magserbisyo sa atin mga kababayan at kayo dyan sa Parañaque, alam niyo mahal na mahal ko po kayo. Nandirito lang po ako na handang magserbisyo sa inyo sa abot ng akin makakaya,” Go, known as Mr. Malasakit, concluded.