Former Special Assistant to the President (SAP) and 2019 senatorial candidate Bong Go appealed to a group of nationalists and Muslim leaders to help President Rodrigo Duterte get rid of corruption in government.
Go made the call in his message during the Assemblia ng mga Anak ng Bayan in Museo De Padilla, the ancestral house of the family of actor Robin Padilla in Fairview, Quezon City that has been turned into an events place. It was the actor himself who led the gathering.
The former presidential aide told the group that he hopes they would follow the example of Padilla who was one of the first to volunteer his help to then Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte simply because the actor believes in him and what he stands for.
“Alam nyo nagboluntaryo po siyang (Robin) pumunta kay Mayor Duterte noong 2015. Alam nyo, kokonti pa lang ang naniniwala kay Mayor Duterte noong mga panahon na iyon. Isa po siya sa unang nagboluntaryo ng libre. Sabi niya: naniniwala ako sa inyo Mayor Duterte at sa iyong ipinaglalaban,” the former palace official recalled.
“Iisa po ang kanilang ipinaglalaban—yung pagsisilbi sa bayan,” he added, noting the President admires Padilla’s selfless acts to serve the country. The former SAP noted that Padilla had never asked for any personal favor from the President.
Go assured them that he too, supports the President’s effort to bring genuine change in the country, particularly the campaign against illegal drugs, criminality and corruption.
“I support President Duterte’s effort to bring genuine change in the country.”
“Kung masaya kayo (sa pamamahala ni Pangulong Duterte) ipagpapatuloy natin yung pagbabago (na nasimulan) niya,” he said.
Go noted that there were times when the President would show his exasperation about the pace of the anti-corruption campaign.
“Si Pangulong Duterte, minsan naiinis na po siya sa corruption na walang tigil. Hindi tayo aasenso kung hindi tayo magtutulungan. Pwede ninyong ibulong sa amin, pwede natin i-entrap yan… para po makarating kay Pangulong Duterte. Magtulungan po tayo,” he said.
It could be recalled that Go earlier told the public that if they have any information or complaints against corrupt officials, they can ask his help, or the Truth and Justice Coalition formed with Greco Belgica and the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission.
“Marami na pong napa-entrap,” he said, adding that the President continues to fire government officials tied to corruption.
Go stressed that the President is determined in pursuing the anti-corruption campaign for the remainder of his term.
“Huwag kayong mag-alala. Sabi niya, in the next three years, gagawin at gagawin niya ang lahat po para sa bayan,” he reiterated.
Go added that he decided to run for a Senate seat because of his desire to serve the people like the President.
“I decided to run for a Senate seat because of my desire to serve the people like President Duterte.”
“Ako naman, naniniwala po ako na ang serbisyo po sa tao ay serbisyo sa Diyos, serbisyo po kay Allah. Minsan lang po tayo dadaan sa mundong ito kaya anumang kabutihan na pwede mong gawin sa kapwa, gawin mo na ngayon dahil hindi na tayo daraan muli sa mundong ito,” he said.
Among the top priorities Go had identified for his Senate bid is the improvement in the delivery of health services in the country, not only through the upgrading of facilities and equipment of government-run hospitals but also through the establishment of Malasakit Centers.
“Gusto ko pong maisabatas ito pagdating ng panahon para tuloy-tuloy ang programa at madagdagan pa ang ating mga Malasakit Center sa iba pang lugar sa bansa,” he stressed.
A program of the Duterte administration, the Malasakit Center makes it easier and faster for poor patients to avail of medical and financial assistance from the government by bringing together in one room concerned agencies such as the Department of Health, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and Philhealth. There are currently 34 Malasakit Centers operating in various areas of the country.
Other top priorities in Go’s legislative agenda include programs for agriculture, education, housing for the poor, long-term sports development, fire protection and prevention, localized peace talks, barangay welfare, creation of a Department for overseas Filipino workers and improved benefits for senior citizens.
