Hundreds of vulnerable residents in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental benefitted from Sen. Bong Go's two-day relief efforts from 26 to 27 October , as part of the senator's commitment to help communities in distress amid the global health crisis.
In his video message, Go, who heads the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, reminded the public to prioritize their health and encouraged them to seek the services of any of the 152 Malasakit Centers nationwide, including one at the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital in the city.
The Malasakit Center is a one-stop shop where the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office are brought under one roof to assist particularly poor and indigent patients with their medical expenses.
To ensure the safety of the recipients, Go's outreach team grouped the 866 indigents into small batches a day and held the distributions at Barangay Calindingan covered court. They handed out masks and snacks and provided shoes, cellular phones, bicycles, and balls for basketball and volleyball to select beneficiaries.
Furthermore, representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development extended financial assistance while the Department of Trade and Industry evaluated qualified beneficiaries for its Pangkabuhayan sa Pagbangon at Ginhawa Livelihood Program.
Lastly, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority determined potential recipients of its scholarship grants.