Senator Bong Go emphasized the critical importance of further support for the country’s impoverished populations as he visited Iloilo City to give aid to cooperatives.
“Walang pulitika dapat ang pagtulong sa mga mahihirap,” Go asserted, highlighting the essential nature of equitable aid distribution.
“Unahin po dapat ang pinakamahirap natin sa kababayan.”
“Totoo naman po ‘yun, kaya nga po dapat pagbutihin natin ang mga programa at serbisyo para sa ating mga kababayang Pilipino. Lalo na po, ‘yung pinakamahirap. Unahin po dapat ang pinakamahirap natin sa kababayan,” the legislator added.
The lawmaker’s call for action comes against a backdrop of concerning statistics from the National Nutrition Council (NNC), which reports that one in three Filipino households experiences food insecurity, leading directly to malnutrition and its consequences.
According to NNC Assistant Secretary Azucena Dayanghirang, malnutrition is not only a health issue but a developmental one, contributing to reduced intelligence quotients and stunted growth among Filipino children.
“Dapat po’y walang magutom.”
“Importante po talaga ang food security. Dapat po’y walang magutom. Kung may pera po ang gobyerno, dapat gamitin po ito sa tama. Ibalik po sa Pilipino,” the senator stressed.
Emphasizing the agricultural backbone of the country, he noted, “Wala tayong kakainin dito kung wala yung ating mga farmers. Dapat po’y suportado sila at busog sila.”
Go called on the Department of Agriculture and other agencies like the DSWD and DOLE to fully exert efforts in delivering tangible aid to those in dire need.
The member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture has continuously advocated for strengthening agricultural support systems, acknowledging the contribution of farmers in maintaining food security.
Go was one of the authors of Republic Act 11901, or the Agriculture, Fisheries, and Rural Development Financing Enhancement Act of 2022, which enhanced the financial structure supporting agriculture, fisheries, and rural development.
This law is designed to offer improved access to credit for rural communities, particularly benefiting farmers, fisherfolk, and agri-based workers. The goal is to elevate their well-being, competitiveness, and productivity.
Moreover, he served as a co-sponsor and co-author in the Senate of RA 11953, also known as the New Agrarian Emancipation Act. This legislation condones loans accrued by agrarian reform beneficiaries, encompassing the related interests, penalties, and surcharges.
Additionally, Go filed Senate Bill No. (SBN) 2117, a measure aimed at ensuring thorough crop insurance protection for agrarian reform beneficiaries. To complement the said bill, he introduced SBN 2118 to improve insurance coverage and services for farmers and address the agricultural sector’s susceptibility to the consequences of natural disasters if enacted into law.
Go’s assertion aligns with recent World Bank insights, which suggest that Filipinos born today may only achieve 52 percent of their potential due to nutritional deficiencies. This stark reality underscores the urgency of his call for a focused, transparent, and compassionate approach to governance and aid distribution, free from the taint of political maneuvering.
“Bilang inyong Mr. Malasakit, anumang pagsubok ang ating haharapin sa susunod na mga araw, patuloy akong magseserbisyo sa inyong lahat dahil bisyo ko na ang magserbisyo at naniniwala ako na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo sa Diyos,” Go concluded.
