VARIOUS community leaders from the public and private sectors showed their support for the vice presidential bid of Senator Christopher “Bong” Go as they attended a gathering organized by the recently launched Let’s Go Bong Go Coalition.

The event was held at the event hall in Gestdan Centrum on Wednesday, November 10, drawing around 300 participants, virtually and physically, representing different grassroots movements and leaders from the Cordillera Administrative Region and nearby areas. A motorcade around Baguio City was also held earlier in the day before the gathering.

Baguio City Representative Mark Go (who is not related to the senator) expressed his support for the latter’s candidacy, whom he credited for helping improve the health and well-being of millions of Filipinos by providing them better access to affordable and quality health care services.

“Nandito tayo ngayon para parangalan ang ating kaibigan na tumatakbo bilang vice president. Ito nga ay si Senator Bong Go,” the lawmaker said in a speech.

“Marami na siyang natulungan hindi lamang dito sa lungsod ng Baguio kundi sa buong Pilipinas. Every time I call him … (kapag) humihingi tayo ng tulong sa kanya, hindi siyang nag-aatubiling tulungan tayo sapagkat ito ay para sa bayan,” he continued.

“Dito sa lungsod ng Baguio, isa sa mga natulungan niya ay ang (Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center) kung saan may Malasakit Center. Sinimulan niya ang programang ito, ilan na rin ang naitayo sa buong bansa, para hindi na kailangang pumila ng ating mga kababayan sa iba’t ibang opisina para makahingi ng tulong mula sa gobyerno,” he added.

In 2019, the BGHMC formally launched the country’s 50th Malasakit Center with a ceremony which the senator personally witnessed. The center aims to help reduce a hospital bill to the lowest possible amount by covering surgeries, laboratory tests and various other patient services and expenses.

To do so, it brings under one roof the government agencies with programs that provide medical assistance, namely the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

The program was institutionalized under the Malasakit Centers Act, which Go authored and sponsored in the Senate and President Rodrigo Duterte signed in 2019.

“Itong darating na November 15, sana’y maging maganda ‘yung resulta ng aksyon na gagawin ng ating mga kaibigan na tumatakbo nitong susunod na eleksyon,” continued Rep. Mark Go.

Participating online, Sen. Go also expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the organizers and supporters. He promised to continue promoting the health and welfare of Filipinos, economic recovery and job creation, in addition to addressing the issues of hunger and poverty in the country.

“Nakakataba ng puso ang inyong pag-volunteer at pagsuporta. Antayin lang natin sa mga susunod na araw pero ito lang ang masasabi ko: marami na ang napagod, tumaya at umikot para ipakita ang suporta sa akin at sa Pangulong Duterte. Ang laban niyo ay laban ko. Hindi ko kayong pababayaan,” reassured Go.

“Kandidato ako ng PDP-Laban, ang partido namin ng Pangulo, kaya ipaglalaban ko ito. Uulitin ko, lalaban tayo, sama-samang lalaban tayo,” he vowed.

The senator went on to acknowledge that there are uncertainties in politics that could affect his bid for the vice presidency. He, however, expressed confidence that whatever happens, he is committed to serve his fellow Filipinos to the best of his abilities regardless of position or circumstance.

“Ano man ang mangyayari, lalaban tayo dahil ayaw kong masayang ang lahat… kayo ang nagbibigay lakas sa akin para lumaban pa. Bigyan niyo ako ng kaunting panahon, ipagdadasal ko itong lahat,” he shared.

“Kung gugustuhin ng Panginoon, gagawa siya ng paraan. Alam niyo, the more na mag-aambisyon ka sa isang posisyon, hindi ‘yan ibibigay sa inyo pero the more mo iiwasan, hahabulin ka nito kung gusto talaga ito ng Panginoon,” said Go.

In the end, Go vowed to serve the Filipino people and pledged to keep serving in his role as a bridge between the government and the poor, hopeless and helpless to ensure the people’s needs are provided for, their concerns addressed, and their voices heard.

“Hindi dito natatapos ang ating laban at magkasama tayo. May mga bagay lang po na kailangan nating antayin. May mga bagay na kailangan nating respetuhin. Ayaw kong masaktan ang Tatay Digong .. Kahit anumang posisyon… handa akong magserbisyo sa inyo,” he said.

“Maraming salamat sa ating suporters. Nandidito lang ako, kalabitin niyo lang ako anytime. Mahal na mahal namin kayo.”

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Bong Go aids farmers affected by Taal crisis in Silang, Cavite

IN line with his push for measures that aim to build safer and more resilient communities, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go continued to respond to the needs of areas and communities affected by natural disasters and other crisis situations to help them build back better.

On Tuesday, November 9, Go’s team organized a relief effort for 500 farmers whose livelihoods and daily lives were adversely affected by the Taal Volcano eruption.

“Mga kababayan ko, alam kong mahirap ang panahon ngayon. Nandito pa tayo sa gitna ng pandemya, tinamaan pa tayo ng pagputok ng bulkang Taal. Magtulungan lang po tayo,” Go said in his video message.

Go’s team, in support of initiatives provided by the Department of Agriculture, conducted the relief operation at the Cavite State University-Silang Campus where necessary safety and health protocols were strictly observed to prevent the further spread of the virus.

The team gave essentials such as meals, masks and vitamins to each affected farmer. They also gave new pairs of shoes and bicycles to selected residents, as well as computer tablets for children’s use in their blended learning activities.

A team from the Department of Agriculture then proceeded to extend assistance to help the farmers start anew through the provision of farming equipment, plant seeds, fertilizers and many others.

Florizel Hernandez, 58, expressed his gratitude towards Senator Go for being one of the first government leaders to visit Silang to check on their well-being and living conditions after the Taal erupted. He also mentioned the Go was instrumental in making sure that farmers in their community are given the necessary assistance to help them recover.

“Napakalaking pasasalamat namin sa intervention na binibigay ng ating pamahalaan sa aming magsasaka sapagkat nababawasan po ang paghihirap namin. Para po sa minamahal naming Senator Bong Go, mula po sa aming magsasaka, kami po ay lubusang nagpapasalamat sa inyo,” Hernandez said.

Knowing the vulnerability of the country when it comes to natural disasters and calamities, Go reiterated the importance of creating the Department of Disaster Resilience that would be primarily responsible for ensuring that communities are well-adapted, resilient, and safe from the harmful impact of climate change, especially those living in remote areas.

Under the proposed Senate Bill No. 205, otherwise known as the Department of Disaster Resilience Act, the establishment of DDR will unify and streamline all responsibilities related to disaster preparedness and response, functions that are presently scattered across various departments and offices.

“Ako po ay hindi titigil at hindi mawawalan ng pag-asa. Isa po sa na-file ko sa Senado ang Department of Disaster Resilience (bill) kasi kailangan po nating i-scale up po ang preparedness to resilience. So ibig sabihin, hindi lang nakahanda, talagang kaya na natin makatayo muli kapag tinamaan tayo ng bagyo o pagputok ng bulkan o earthquake,” said Go.

“Ang gusto po mangyari ng departamentong ito bago pa po dumating ang bagyo o ‘yung pagputok ng bulkan, meron na pong secretary-level na makikipag coordinate po sa local governments. Kung meron pong departamentong nakatutok po sa kanila, ito na po ‘yung makikipag-coordinate,” he added.

Continuing his message, Go urged residents to stay cooperative and disciplined as the fight to end the pandemic continues. As the Chair of Senate Committee on Health and Demography, the senator asked the public to help the government attain population protection and herd immunity by taking part in the national vaccination program.

“Nakikiusap po ako sa mga kababayan ko na magtiwala po kayo sa bakuna. Nakikita ko po kanina na marami pa pong takot magpabakuna, kaya andito po ako to encourage them na ang bakuna po ang tanging susi o solusyon para unti-unti na tayong bumalik sa normal na pamumuhay,” expressed Go.

“Natutuwa naman po ako na dumadami na po ang gustong magpabakuna kaya po hinihikayat ko ang ating mga local governments na i-deploy kaagad ang bakuna. Kapag dumating ang bakuna, iturok kaagad at huwag na patagalin,” he added.

Go also offered additional assistance and encouraged the residents to visit the Malasakit Centers at Southern Tagalog Regional Hospital in Bacoor City and General Emilio Aguinaldo Memorial Hospital in Trece Martires City.

The center is a one-stop shop designed to provide convenient assistance to help particularly poor and indigent patients with their medical expenses.

“Ngayon, kung hindi kayang operahan dito, magsabi lang po kayo. Huwag ho kayong mag-atubiling magpa-hospital. Huwag n’yo na pong alalahanin ang inyong babayaran… tutulong po kami,” Go expressed.

To further accelerate the economic progress of the locality, Go, as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, supported various road improvements in the cities of Bacoor, Cavite, Dasmariñas, General Trias, Imus and Tagaytay; rehabilitation of covered courts in various barangays in General Trias City; acquisition of ambulance units for the local governments of Bacoor City, Indang and Trece Martires City; rehabilitation and improvement of the municipal fire station in Noveleta; and the improvement of a sports facility in Cavite State University in Indang.

Go commended the local officials of Silang for their continued service to their community especially in crisis situations.

In 2019, Go was declared an adopted son of the CALABARZON region in a manifesto issued by the governors of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.