Go: No Senate bid, ‘I’m no politician’

“I am a simple government servant and a simple worker,” Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go said as he doused water anew on calls for him to seek a senatorial post.

“Sa mga tumatawag na senador po sa akin, hindi po ako pulitiko, janitor na lang (To those calling me senator, I am not a politician, just a janitor),” he joked during a speech in the ceremonial release of vehicle plates registered in July 2016 to automotive dealers and owners.

“Di po ako special guest. Special Assistant to the President lang. Isang staff lang po ako sa office niya (I am not a special guest. Just an special assistant to the President. I am just one of his office staff. Or you can call me special assistant of the people. I am just your servant. I am a simple worker),” he added.

Go also brushed aside comments on the relief goods supposedly bearing his name that went viral on social media sites.

The top presidential aide said it has never been his and President Rodrigo Duterte’s practice to flaunt their names when giving aid.

“Di po namin ugali ni Presidente na ilagay yung pangalan namin sa relief goods. Noong mayor pa lang po s’ya ng Davao City, pansinin niyo po na wala ni isang nakalagay na ‘This is the project of Mayor Duterte’ (It was never a practice to put our names, especially of the President, on relief goods. Even when the president was still mayor of Davao City, nothing was attached on such goods which said, ‘This is the project of Mayor Duterte’),” he said.

Upon learning of the Sampaloc, Manila fire last July 1, Go recounted he immediately went to the site at dawn following the orders of the President and promised to return with aid from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Health (DoH).

“I told the victims the President sent me, since he cannot make the rounds on all of the victims. I said, this assistance is from DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) and DoH (Department of Health). This is government money. I didn’t own it),” he noted.

SAP Go went on to say it was just unfortunate that the goods from the government were placed next to the donations from a private foundation. He said, “Di naman maiiwasan na may mga pribadong taong gustong tumulong at kusang nagbibigay ng kanilang grocery packs at sapatos. Nagkataon lang na ipinatong doon sa mga kulay green na packs mula sa foundation ang goods na galing sa gobyerno (It can’t be avoided that there are private individuals who want to help and voluntarily give their grocery packs and shoes. It just happened that they placed the goods on top of the green packs from the foundation),” he said.

He clarified that DSWD never distributed relief goods bearing his face or name. The ones distributed were standard relief goods given by the agency to victims of calamities.

SAP Go appealed again to his supporters to refrain from fronting his name and face when giving help. He urged, “Sa mga supporters ko, maraming salamat po sa pagtulong pero katulad ng paulit-ulit kong pakiusap, huwag niyo na pong ilagay ang pangalan ko. Idiretso nalang natin ang tulong sa tao (To my supporters, thank you for the help, but as I have said repeatedly, please do not put my name. Give the help direct to the people).”

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade also graced the event with LTO Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante, along with Go, House Committee on Transportation Chairman and Rep. Cesar V. Sarmiento (Catanduanes, Lone District) and Rep. Federico S. Sandoval II (Malabon, Lone District).

One of Secretary Tugade’s marching orders when he assumed his post was to make sure the problem on the lack of vehicle plates be resolved the soonest possible time.

“The problem had long been complained about by the public. Who would be happy if you paid for the plate and then you don’t get it? So, like what the President has promised, we fixed it, you will have your license plates,” Tugade said.

The Transportation chief added it only took political will to solve a problem that seemed so impossible in the past.

According to LTO Assistant Sec. Galvante, the plates for the succeeding months of 2016 are already being shipped to the Regional Offices for distribution to the ADOs and dealers.

“Today, we will start the release of the plates nationwide for vehicles registered July 2016,” Galvante said.

As of July 4, 2018, the LTO Plate Making Plant had produced a total of 231,332 pairs of motor vehicle plates since it started operating in April. These plates are enough to cover the July to December 2016 requirements.

However, he said the release of plates will be gradual and will be announced in the succeeding months.

“We ask the vehicle plate owners to wait for their notification. We do not want the owners to rush to the District Offices only to find out that their plates are not yet there,” Galvante said.