WHILE Senator Christopher “Bong” Go empathized with fellow Filipinos who are affected by the current restrictions being implemented to curb the spread of COVID-19, he assured the public that the government is doing its best to balance the protection of health while keeping the economy afloat.

“Alam ko pong mahirap ang panahon ngayon marami pong nawalan ng trabaho, marami pong nagsara na negosyo. Marami pong apektado dahil po sa ECQ o sa pag-lockdown. Magtulungan lang po tayo,” Go said.

“Ginagawa naman po ng gobyerno ang lahat, binabalanse ang ekonomiya, pero importante po ang kalusugan at buhay ng bawat Pilipino. Magbayanihan po tayo, magmalasakit po tayo sa ating kapwa Pilipino. Sino ba naman ang magtutulungan kung hindi tayo lang po kapwa natin Pilipino,” he added.

As chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Go expressed his concern regarding the increasing number of COVID-19 cases among the younger population.

“Mga kababayan ko, kamakailan naiulat na halos umaabot ng 30 porsyento ang pagtaas sa bilang ng mga batang natatamaan ng COVID-19 nitong nakaraang linggo ayon sa datos ng DOH,” said Go.

Given this, Go suggested to authorities to study if it is possible to expand the vaccine rollout to cover the younger population once deemed safe by health experts and without prejudice to already identified priority groups.

“Bilang chair ng Senate Committee on Health, ako ay lubhang nababahala kung hindi natin maagapan at magawan ng paraan upang mapigilan ang mabilis na pagtaas ng bilang — baka mapilitang gawing panibagong priority group ang mga bata at teenagers,” he suggested.

“Hirap na nga tayo sa pagkuha ng bakuna para sa may edad sa kabila ng limitadong supply, baka kailangang maghanap na naman tayo ng mga bakuna para sa mga menor de edad,” he added.

According to data from the Department of Health (DOH), the incidence of COVID-19 cases among youngsters in the Philippines rose by about 30 percent. On August 3, there were 6,879 new COVID-19 cases recorded. Children under the age of 17 accounted for 10.78 percent of the total, or 742 cases.

“Nakakabahala po ang mga naiuulat na tumataas na kaso na mga minors sa mga nahahawa ng COVID-19, dapat po’y maagapan kaagad ito,” said Go.

He then appealed to the public for their continuing compliance with health protocols, including those who have already been vaccinated.

“Sa patuloy na pananalasa ng mas nakakahawang Delta variant, ako ay umaapela sa kapwa ko Pilipino sundin po natin ang mga health protocols, parati pong magsuot ng face mask, face shield, social distancing at hugas ng kamay, at kung hindi naman po kailangan, huwag munang umalis ng inyong pamamahay dahil delikado pa po ang panahon,” said Go.

“Ugaliing sundin ang mga ito kahit na ikaw ay bakunado. Porket ikaw ay nabakunahan na hindi ibig sabihin hindi mo na madadala ang virus sa pag uwi mo sa inyong bahay. Maaaring makakahawa ka doon sa mga hindi pa bakunado katulad ng mga bata,” he added.

As for those who are already eligible to receive their COVID-19 jabs, the Senator urged them not to waste time and get inoculated immediately.

“Sa mga qualified na hindi pa nabakunahan, kung schedule niyo na po sa inyong komunidad huwag na kayong mag-alinlangan na magpabakuna kaagad… Kung mahal niyo po ang inyong mga pamilya at ang inyong mga anak, magpabakuna na ho kayo,” he said.

“If you are not protected against COVID-19, the virus will find you and it will infect you. Delikado po itong COVID-19, lalung-lalo na po itong Delta variant na 4 times more contagious, mas nakakahawa po ito. Please lang po, kailangan po ang kooperasyon ng bawat isa at disiplina po ng bawat Pilipino,” he added.

Go also emphasized the importance of adherence to health protocols, saying that these are essential parts of the holistic approach to prevent the collapse of the healthcare system.

“Huwag na nating hayaan na umabot po sa punto na bumagsak ang ating healthcare system. Ayaw nating makitang namamatay na lang sa mga hospital parking lots ang mga pasyente dahil hindi po naasikaso dahil puno na po ‘yung mga ospital,” Go said, explaining the need to learn from the experiences of other countries.

“Nangyari na po ito sa ibang bansa, ‘yung napupuno ‘yung ospital, at ayaw po nating mangyari dito sa ating bansa na napupuno po ‘yung ospital at hindi na po naasikaso ‘yung mga pasyente,” he added.

“Hindi biro ang magkasakit sa panahong naghihirap pa rin ang ating ekonomiya. Mas lalong hindi biro kung kailangan tubuhan ka para makahinga habang mag isa kang lumalaban na wala po ang iyong pamilya sa iyong tabi. Huwag tayong maging kumpiyansa dahil mas nagiging mabagsik ang kalabang COVID-19 na hindi natin nakikita,” he stressed further.

Go warned the public further by telling them not to let their guard down and remain disciplined and cooperative regardless of their location in the country.

“Tumataas po ang positivity rates… huwag maging kumpiyansa. Hindi lang po sa NCR, kung hindi sa buong bansa natin ay tumataas ang kaso. Pakiusap lang namin ni Pangulong Duterte sa inyo, kooperasyon at disiplina po ng bawat isa,” said Go.

The country has administered more than 24 million vaccines thus far. Almost 13 million individuals have received their first dose while more than 11 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated as of August 7.

“Pinaghirapan po natin itong mga bakunang ito… kung nasa priority list kayo, magpabakuna na kayo para po protektado kayo. Kapag protektado kayo ng bakuna, mas maiiwasan po ang pagkahawa ng mas grabe ng sakit na COVID-19,” said Go.

He then called on all Filipinos to trust and support the vaccine program while calling for continued bayanihan and malasakit among Filipinos.

“Magtiwala kayo sa bakuna. Ang bakuna po ang susi o solusyon para unti-unti na tayong makabalik sa ating normal na pamumuhay. Magtiwala lang ho kayo sa gobyerno,” said Go.

“Kami po ni Pangulong Duterte ay patuloy na magseserbisyo po sa inyong lahat sa abot ng aming makakaya… ang importante malampasan natin itong krisis na ito bilang nagkakaisang mamamayang Pilipino. Magbayanihan po tayo, magmalasakit po tayo sa ating kapwa Pilipino,” he ended.

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Bong Go lauds PRRD for approving release of funds for teachers

SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go commended President Rodrigo Duterte for approving the release of P910 million to the Department of Education to meet the budget criteria for the World Teacher’s Day Incentive Benefit.

“The grant of this incentive to public school teachers recognizes the critical role that they play in nation-building. Patunay din po ito sa kagustuhan ng gobyerno na bigyan ng pagpapahalaga ang kanilang mga sakripisyo lalu na sa panahon ng pandemya,” said Go.

“Teachers’ critical role in ensuring the continuing delivery of learning has become particularly more challenging, as the country battles the COVID-19 pandemic and the educational sector adapts to the new normal,” he added.

Under Republic Act No. 10743 or “An Act Declaring the Fifth Day of October of Every Year as the National Teachers’ Day” and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization’s international observance of World Teachers’ Day, the fifth day of October is observed to honor those who work in the teaching profession. This is to recognize the teachers’ unwavering service and significant contributions to the development of the minds, values, and character of Filipino youth and generations around the world.

Notably, the DepEd has said that it has about 910,000 eligible personnel for which the PhP910 million appropriation was based.

Go has previously urged the national government to provide additional support for public school teachers, citing the hardships they are facing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Go mentioned the difficulties that teachers are having with the blended learning technique that is being implemented while face-to-face classes are still prohibited.

“Patuloy natin dapat sinusuportahan ang mga guro, lalong-lalo na ngayong pandemya. Hindi madali ang panahon ngayon. Naging mas challenging pa ang pagtuturo dahil nahaharap tayo sa maraming pagsubok, lalo na sa blended learning na ipinatutupad sa mga paaralan,” Go expressed.

Despite the change to a blended learning approach, Go previously stated that education must remain a priority. He pledged to support policies that strengthen the education sector while also safeguarding students’ and teachers’ health and well-being.

Earlier, he filed Senate Bill 396 in 2019 to expand the purposes and application of the Special Education Fund which he proposed to be used for the operation and maintenance of public schools, payment of salaries, allowances and other benefits of teaching and non-teaching personnel, competency trainings for teaching personnel, operation of Alternative Learning System, including payment of salaries, allowances and other benefits of ALS facilitators; educational research; teaching aids, and other instructional materials, among others.

“Patuloy tayong maghahanap ng paraan na mabigyan ng suporta ang ating educational sector upang hindi matigil ang pag-aaral ng ating mga kabataang Pilipino. Kung gusto nating umunlad, dapat bigyan natin nang malaking importansya ang kapakanan ng mga guro para maisaayos ang pag-aaral ng ating mga kabataan, lalo na sa literacy at numeracy,” Go said in his previous statements.

“Ang kabataan po ang kinabukasan ng ating bayan. Sila ang ating pag-asa upang tuluyang umunlad ang ating bansa. Bigyan po natin ng kahalagahan ang edukasyon na tanging puhunan nila sa kanilang paglaki. Kaya importante ang role ng mga teachers na siyang huhubog sa susunod na henerasyon,” Go emphasized.

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