SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go personally led yet another series of distribution activities in the Island Garden City of Samal in Davao del Norte. This time, he brought aid to various sectoral groups in Barangays Cogon, Libuak and Tagpopongan.

The relief activities were held at the respective barangay halls where Go and his team provided grocery packs, vitamins, masks, meals and shirts to a total of 1,500 residents, composed of solo parents, fisherfolk and senior citizens. In addition, the senator gave away new pairs of shoes, bicycles and computer tablets to select individuals.

Representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development were also present to provide each resident with financial aid to help them sustain their daily needs.

In his speech, Go expressed his appreciation for the residents of the island, saying, “Mahal ko ang mga taga-Samal… pinuntahan ko talaga kayo kasi mahal ko ang Samal… magkakapitbahay lang din naman tayo bilang ako rin ay Davaoeño.”

The senator then remarked that he will continue to serve the Filipino people in the best way he can even after the term of President Rodrigo Duterte. He stressed that it is his duty to ensure that Filipinos are well-supported, especially during these challenging times.

“Ako, mahal ko siya (President Rodrigo Duterte) dahil para ko na rin siyang tatay. ‘Pag mahal ninyo ang tatay niyo, hindi niyo gusto na iwanan lalo na sa ganitong sitwasyon. Kaya hindi na ako natuloy na tumakbo. Basta ako, magpapatuloy lang ako sa pagseserbisyo sa inyong lahat sa abot ng aking makakaya,” Go vowed.

“Basta hindi ako mangangako. Hindi ako pulitiko na mangangako na kaya kong gawin ito. Hindi ako pulitiko, public servant lang ako. Ang gagawin ko lang ay magserbisyo hanggang sa aking makakaya,” he stressed.

Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Go then encouraged the beneficiaries to visit the Malasakit Centers located at Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City and Davao Regional Medical Center in Tagum City should they need assistance for their medical expenses.

The Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which was primarily authored and sponsored by Go, mandates all Department of Health-run hospitals, plus the Philippine General Hospital in Manila City, to establish their own centers that would provide convenient access to medical assistance programs by the government.

“Mayroon na tayong Malasakit Center sa Tagum at may mga cancer center sa SPMC. Hanapin lang ninyo ang karatula na Malasakit Center, tutulungan kayo hanggang sa maging zero balance at wala na kayong babayaran. Batas na ito na isinulong ko noong una, noong ako’y naging senador, pinirmahan ni Pangulong Duterte,” Go explained.

The senator also urged the eligible residents to participate in the national vaccination program, underscoring the crucial role of vaccines to hasten the country’s return to normalcy.

He likewise appealed to the local authorities to closely assist their residents who are more vulnerable to COVID-19, such as the senior citizens, to ensure that they are inoculated immediately.

“Kung hindi pa kayo bakunado, magpabakuna na kayo…Tingnan niyo ngayon, balik na tayo sa pagbubukas dahil bakunado na kayo at protektado na kayo. Ang bakuna ang tanging susi o solusyon para dahan-dahan na tayong makabalik sa normal nating pamumuhay, nakikiusap lang kami sa inyo,” Go reiterated.

Meanwhile, to boost the development of Samal Island, the senator has supported the construction of a water system, roads and multipurpose buildings as well as the acquisition of an ambulance in the city.

Other initiatives he supported in the province are the rechanneling of a river, construction of a river wall, and concreting of the Sitio Bunsalag to Sitio Misulok-Sulok road in Talaingod; construction of a concrete revetment along the Tagum-Libuganon River Basin and dike along the Sadpudon Creek in Carmen; construction of multipurpose buildings in Kapalong and New Corella; and renovation of the public terminal, public parks and plaza in New Corella.

In the end, Senator Go thanked the local officials for their dedication and determination to assist their respective communities even at the height of a global health crisis.

“Ang importante nagkita-kita tayo at bukas ang aking opisina. At lagi nating tatandaan mga kababayan ko, minsan lang tayo dadaan sa mundong ito. Kung anong kabutihan o tulong na puwede nating gawin sa ating kapwa, gawin na natin ngayon dahil hindi na tayo babalik sa mundong ito,” Go concluded.

On March 30, Go and his team visited Barangays Balet, Camudmud, and San Isidro where they gave similar assistance to more than a thousand residents.