Go pushes pro-poor laws before councilors

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go has underscored the significance of pro-poor legislation in local governance to enhance the well-being of the impoverished and underserved.

Go issued the statemen during his participation in a meeting of the Philippine Councilors League — Southern Leyte Chapter at Summit Ridge in Tagaytay City on Friday.

Councilor Ina Marie Loy, the chapter’s president, extended the invitation to Go.

In his address, Go echoed the event’s theme, “Enhancing the Legislative Potential of Southern Leyte Legislators on Development Legislation as Needed in the Implementation of Full Devolution.”

He stressed the importance of capacity building among legislators to enact laws and initiatives tailored to local needs, particularly those benefiting vulnerable sectors.

“On this day, we gather not only as officials of our localities but also as leaders with a singular goal: To strengthen and improve the condition of our constituents,” Go said.

He emphasized the necessity of ensuring the welfare of public sector employees to enhance their ability to serve constituents effectively.

“During the previous 18th Congress, I was one of the authors and co-sponsors of Salary Standardization 5. We successfully passed SSL 5, which increased the salaries of all government workers,” Go noted.

“Building on this achievement, I am now advocating for the enactment of Salary Standardization Law 6, SSL 6, aiming to further enhance financial support for our government employees,” he added.

Go’s Senate Bill 194, the E-Governance Act, aims to establish a unified government network to facilitate information sharing and communication between national and local government agencies, thereby streamlining governance processes for increased transparency and accessibility to the public.

Go also outlined his priority initiatives aimed at bringing public health services closer to those in need, including the Malasakit Centers, which have assisted over 10 million Filipinos, according to Department of Health (DoH) data.

He spearheaded the crafting and passage of Republic Act (RA) 11463, or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, with 163 Malasakit Centers nationwide now operational.

He has also advocated for the establishment of Super Health Centers to provide primary care, consultations, and early disease detection in communities.

Through collaborative efforts with fellow lawmakers, the DoH, led by Secretary Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa, and local government units, funding was allocated for over 700 Super Health Centers nationwide, including six in Southern Leyte.

Lastly, as the principal sponsor and one of the authors of RA 11959, also known as the Regional Specialty Centers Act, Go worked with other legislators to ensure specialized medical services are available in all regions through this enacted law.