Team aids over thousand Borbon, Catmon folk

THE Office of Senator Christopher “Bong” Go continues to collaborate with various government efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic by providing support to individuals and sectors that have been severely impacted by the ongoing pandemic.

In the relief operations mounted by his team in Borbon and Catmon, Cebu on Saturday, March 19, Go empathized with the residents and assured them that the national government is extending every possible assistance. He also urged local authorities to complement such efforts, highlighting the important role they play in responding to the needs of their constituents.

“Mga kababayan, magtulungan, magmalasakit at magbayanihan tayo sa ating kapwa. Huwag tayo mawalan ng pag-asa dahil nandito ang gobyernong palaging nagmamalasakit sa inyo. Hinding-hindi kayo pababayaan ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte at ng administrasyong ito,” Go said in a video message.

“Pakiusap ko sa mga mayor at kapitan, huwag niyong pabayaan ang mga kabarangay niyo, lalung-lalo na ‘yung mga mahihirap, dahil kayo lang ang matatakbuhan nila,” he stressed.

Go’s team provided snacks and masks to 1,332 residents at the Borbon municipal gym and Barangay Catmondaan covered court in Catmon. They also gave select individuals new pairs of shoes or computer tablets for their children’s educational needs.

In another distribution, personnel from the Department of Social Welfare and Development extended financial aid. The Department of Trade and Industry and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority also conducted assessments for their livelihood and scholarship programs, respectively.

The senator then offered to help those needing medical care and advised them to avail the services of their nearest Malasakit Center. He initiated the first Malasakit Center at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) in Cebu City in 2018 with the aim of providing convenient access to government medical aid.

The center is a one-stop shop which connects poor and other financially incapacitated patients with the national agencies that offer medical assistance, namely, the DSWD, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

A Malasakit Center has also been opened each at the St. Anthony Mother & Child Hospital in Cebu City, Talisay District Hospital in Talisay City, Lapu-Lapu City District Hospital, Eversley Childs Sanitarium and General Hospital in Mandaue City, and Cebu Provincial Hospital in Carcar City.

“Masaya akong mayroon na tayong 151 na Malasakti Centers. Sunud-sunod na ‘to. Sabi ko nga, bilisan na natin kung maaari ang pagbubukas ng mga ito para magamit na ng mga pasyente, lalung-lalo na nung mga poor at indigent, ‘yung tulong na para sa kanila,” noted Go, who is the principal author and sponsor of the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019.

The lawmaker also recently sponsored a bill which seeks to increase the bed capacity of the VSMMC from 1,200 to 1,500 beds. The measure, along with 14 other local hospital bills, was approved on the third and final reading at the Senate last January.

In the end, Go thanked 5th Representative Vincent Frasco, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, Vice Governor Hilario Davide, Borbon Mayor Noel Dotillos, Catmon Mayor Irish Baylon-Gestopa and other local officials for their service during these challenging times.

As Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go has likewise supported various initiatives that aim to improve access to key services and enhance the overall quality of life in Cebu province.

He supported the concreting of a farm-to-market road from Brgy. Tabunan to Brgy. Bagacay and concreting of a road from Brgy. Bagacay to Brgy. Managase in Borbon. He also helped in the concreting of a farm-to-market road, procurement of medical equipment, and acquisition of a multipurpose vehicle for the local government of Catmon.

Other major initiatives include the construction of multipurpose buildings in Barili, Cordova, Ginatilan, Pilar, Poro, Tabogon, Cebu City and Talisay City; improvement of existing roads in Alcantara, Alcoy, Alegria, Asturias, Balamban, Boljoon, Carmen, Madrilejos, Malabuyoc, Minglanilla, Moalboal, Pinamungajan, Poro, Sibonga, Sogod, Tabogon, Tabuelan, Carcar City and Naga City; improvement of flood mitigation structures in Tuburan; installation of street lights in Daanbantayan, Asturias and Compostel; and acquisition of ambulance units for the local governments of Madridejos and Naga City.

The activities were conducted in strict compliance with the government-issued health and safety protocols. Over 3,000 residents were assisted in similar efforts in Poro and San Francisco last March 16 and 17.