Bong Go, FPRRD spend Christmas with orphans, senior citizens
SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go and former president Rodrigo Duterte visited Balay Dangupan in Davao City to spread the holiday cheer to its orphans and staff by checking on their welfare while handing out gifts and other giveaways.
Balay Dangupan was established in 2018 and it is a crisis intervention facility of the City Government of Davao that serves as a temporary substitute home for children.
Committed to uplift Filipinos’ lives in times of crisis, Duterte and Go distributed Christmas baskets, meals, gift certificates, and balls for basketball and volleyball to 49 children and 29 shelter workers.
“Magkasama po kaming bumisita ni Tatay Digong sa Balay Dangupan na may bitbit-bitbit na mga regalo para sa mga bata at staff doon upang makapag-iwan kami ng kahit kaunting ngiti at kasiyahan sa kanila ngayong Pasko,” expressed Go.
Noting that children are one of the most vulnerable sectors as they are not fully capable to defend themselves, Go has been persistent in pushing for more children protection programs, underscoring that it is the government’s job to make certain that Filipino children are safe.
Previously, Go echoed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s appeal to have stronger government interventions against child exploitation and violence, saying, “Unahin natin ang mga mahihirap, mga hopeless at helpless, mga walang laban tulad ng mga kabataan. Proteksyunan natin ang kanilang kapakanan.”
“Nakakabahala at nakakalungkot po kung mga kabataan pa po ang nagiging biktima dito. It is the State’s duty, like the parent of the nation, to protect its citizen, especially those who are not able to protect themselves, such as children who are vulnerable po and helpless,” he stressed.
The lawmaker has earlier refiled Senate Bill No. 1188 to amend Republic Act No. 7610 or the “Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act” in a bid to enhance the country’s protective measures for children.
The proposed law seeks to amend Section 5 (b) of the Anti-Child Abuse Law regarding the penalty for persons engaging in lascivious conduct or sexual activity with minors under 12 years of age.
Under the present law, lascivious acts against a minor below 12 years old are penalized with reclusion temporal in its medium period while the same act committed against a child above 12 years but below 18 years of age is penalized with reclusion temporal in its medium period to reclusion perpetua.
“I will continue to push and support initiatives and programs na nakalaan para sa proteksyon ng ating mga kabataan dahil sila ang pag-asa ng ating bayan,” Go underscored.
On the same day, Go likewise visited Co Su Gian Home for the Aged in Barangay Buhangin, also in Davao City, where he personally gave assistance to elderly people and as well to several of the retirement home workers.
A total of 49 senior citizens were given Christmas baskets filled with food and gifts from the senator. Some of the recipients, particularly personnel of the facility, also received balls for basketball and volleyball as part of Go’s advocacy to promote a healthy lifestyle away from vices like illegal drugs.
The senator also offered to take the elderly residents to parks and shopping malls so they could socialize and unwind.
Go voiced his concern for the welfare of senior citizens as he encouraged them to continue taking all of the necessary precautions to protect themselves from COVID-19 and other health threats. More importantly, he urged them to protect themselves against the virus by receiving vaccinations and booster shots.
To ensure that all seniors can be inoculated in a timely and secure manner, he also urged authorities and local government units to work together in bringing vaccines directly to them and even inoculate them in their homes if possible.
Meanwhile, as Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Go encouraged those with health concerns to coordinate with the Malasakit Center at Southern Philippines Medical Center in the city where they can conveniently access medical assistance programs from the government.
