SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go said the government can do more to help Filipinos recover from disasters as he renewed his appeal for the approval of a bill that will provide victims with interim housing support.

In a video message at an activity in Valenzuela City on Friday, February 11, Go raised the need to enact Senate Bill No. 2393 or the Rental Housing Subsidy Act, which he primarily authored. The bill seeks to assist disaster victims by helping them relocate to a temporary home during the rebuilding period.

“Ang bawat Pilipino po ay may karapatan na magkaroon ng maayos na tirahan kaya bilang senador ninyo ay naghain ako ng panukala para wala na maging squatter sa ating bayan,” said Go.

“Ngayon na sunud-sunod ang mga sakuna at patuloy ang paglaban natin sa pandemya, mas lumalala ang kalagayan ng mga Pilipino. Nakakalungkot isipin na madalas, mas takot pa ang ating mga kababayan na mawalan ng tirahan kaysa magkaroon ng COVID-19. Hindi po tama ito,” he emphasized.

The senator’s staff conducted a distribution activity at the Gen. Tiburcio de Leon Barangay Hall under strict compliance with the safety and health protocols.

They provided a total of seven families who were recently displaced by a fire with financial assistance, grocery packs, vitamins, meals and masks. A selected beneficiary also received a pair of shoes.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development, on the other hand, will also extend separate financial assistance to help the families meet their daily needs.

To ensure their rapid recovery, Go offered to assist family members who are suffering serious physical injuries or other health conditions that require medical treatment. He advised them to avail further aid from the government through any of the 31 Malasakit Centers in Metro Manila, the nearest of which are located in Valenzuela Medical Center (VMC) and Valenzuela City Emergency Hospital (VCEH).

The center brings together the offices of the DSWD, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office under one roof. The one-stop shop aims to reduce a hospital bill to the lowest amount possible by covering patient services and expenses, pursuant to the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which Go also principally authored and sponsored in the Senate.

“Ito ang serbisyong ipinangako at tinupad namin ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte — serbisyong ramdam kahit saang sulok ng bansa. Ano nga ba ang kwalipikasyon sa Malasakit Center? Basta Pilipino, poor o indigent patient ka, qualified ka sa mga serbisyo nito. Mayroon na tayong Malasakit Centers sa Luzon, Visayas at Mindanao. Tuluy-tuloy lang ang pagbubukas nito dahil sa batas na ito,” continued the senator.

Over three million poor and indigent patients have benefited since the program was initiated in 2018. There are currently 149 fully operational Malasakit Centers nationwide.

“Crime does not pay. As the saying goes, evil triumphs if good men do nothing,” the MRPO chairman said.

The MRPO founded by Ms. Teresita Ang See supported the Gomez family from the day they learned of his kidnapping until he was rescued and his abductors arrested, jailed and prosecuted to the hilt.

According to Architect Ka Kuen Chua, they saw to it that the family would be given valuable inputs during the negotiation and subsequent counseling which convinced them to file a case against the suspects.

The MRPO is known for convincing previous kidnapping-for-ransom victims in the country to ‘show their faces’ and not be afraid to testify against their abductors since the law is always on their side.