Strengthening interventions to create more opportunities for the poor, Senator Bong Go had his team mount a relief effort in Quezon City to provide assistance to distressed residents.
In his video message, Go expressed his optimism that the economy will soon recover as long as the government continues to develop more livelihood opportunities, especially for the marginalized sector that are adversely affected by the global health crisis.
“Alam ko pong napakahirap ng panahon ngayon at marami pang nawalan ng trabaho pero huwag po kayong mawalan ng pag-asa dahil ginagawa po ng gobyerno ang lahat upang kayo po ay matulungan at makaahon muli,” the legislator said.
“Binabalanse natin ang kalusugan ng bayan at ang pangangailangan ninyong magtrabaho para sa inyong mga pamilya.”
“Huwag kayong mag-alala. Binabalanse natin ang kalusugan ng bayan at ang pangangailangan ninyong magtrabaho para sa inyong mga pamilya,” the lawmaker added.
At the start of the 19th Congress, the senator filed a bill institutionalizing the Department of Trade and Industry’s “One Town, One Product” (OTOP) program to help boost recovery and promote innovation among MSMEs.
The proposed measure shall assist and capacitate MSMEs in developing new, innovative and more complex products and services through significant improvement in the areas of quality, product development, design, packaging, standards compliance, marketability, production capability, brand development, sustainability, and securing licenses, product registration and other market authorization, among others.
At the height of the COVID-19 outbreak in the Philippines, he was instrumental in the implementation of the Small Business Wage Subsidy program.
Meanwhile, Go’s team carried out the activity at the Brgy. Marilag auditorium at the Plaza Camerino where they assisted 384 struggling residents and provided masks and snacks.
The team likewise gave away shoes, cellular phones, and balls for basketball and volleyball to select recipients.
Moreover, through its Sustainable Livelihood Program, the Department of Welfare and Development gave livelihood assistance that beneficiaries may use to open up a small business of their own.
Go, who heads the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, remains dedicated to boosting the country’s healthcare system through the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019.
He then advised the public that there are 11 Malasakit Centers in Quezon City that they may visit for their health-related expenses.
Principally authored and sponsored by Go, Republic Act No. 11463 mandates all Department of Health-run hospitals and the Philippine General Hospital in Manila City to establish their Malasakit Centers to help poor and indigent patients with their medical expenses.
“Meron na pong 153 na Malasakit Centers sa buong Pilipinas, lapitan nyo lang po ang Malasakit Center diyan po sa inyong lugar.”
“Ang Malasakit Center po ay batas na at isinulong ko na pinirmahan ni dating Pangulong (Rodrigo) Duterte. Tutulungan ho kayo hanggang maging zero balance ang bill niyo. Para po ito sa mga poor and indigent patients. Meron na pong 153 na Malasakit Centers sa buong Pilipinas, lapitan niyo lang po ang Malasakit Center diyan po sa inyong lugar,” he explained.
Malasakit Centers in the city are located at Lung Center of the Philippines, Novaliches District Hospital, Philippine Heart Center, Philippine Children’s Medical Center, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, East Avenue Medical Center, Veterans Memorial Medical Center, Philippine Orthopedic Center, National Children’s Hospital, Quirino Memorial Medical Center, and Philippine National Police General Hospital.
In line with this, Go was also instrumental in pushing for the funding of six Super Health Centers in the city.
These centers will be strategically placed in Barangays Arsenia J. Maximo, Batasan Hills, Kamuning, Murphy, San Francisco and V. Luna.
Super Health Centers are designed to make basic health services, such as database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy, and ambulatory surgical unit, more accessible to Filipino patients.
Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service; oncology centers; physical therapy and rehabilitation center; and telemedicine, where remote diagnosis and treatment of patients will be done.
Part of his goal is to ensure the continuous development of the city in spite of the global health crisis.
For this reason, Go, as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, supported the construction of multipurpose buildings, flood control structures, and drainage systems in the city.
He likewise supported the rehabilitation of the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center and VMMC road networks, road and drainage improvement works along the Quirino Highway and P. Dela Cruz Road, construction of an advanced cardiac catheterization laboratory and expansion of the new emergency room building at the EAMC, and construction of a five-story multipurpose building at Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo.
