A DAY after he attended the Bureau of Fire Protection’s 6th National Fire Olympics 2022 in Davao City, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go went to Bacoor City, Cavite on Sunday, August 14, to personally provide immediate assistance to the victims of a recent fire incident in Barangay Maliksi 2.

Go and his team mounted the relief operation at Maliksi Elementary School, where hundreds of victims were temporarily staying after the fire razed their houses to the ground last August 12.

The senator led the distribution of relief items, such as grocery packs, vitamins, masks, meals and shirts to a total of 137 families, composed of 534 individuals.

He also gave away mobile electronic gadgets for educational use as well as bicycles, shoes, watches, and balls for volleyball and basketball to select individuals to encourage them to engage in sports.

Separately, the Department of Social Welfare and Development extended financial support to every affected household through its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program to hasten their recovery.

“Galing po akong Davao ngayon dahil bukas po may (session sa) Senado (pero pinili kong bumisita at tumulong) nung nabalitaan ko na noong isang araw ay may mga nasunugan dito sa Bacoor.

Ilang beses na kong nakabalik dito sa Bacoor nang dahil sa sunog, nakikiusap po ako sa inyo na mag-ingat kayo parati,” Go said in his speech.

“Alam ko pong napakahirap pong masunungan, parang ubos lahat (at) umpisa ulit. Pero ang gamit po ay nabibili, magtulungan lang po tayo. Ang pera po ay ating kikitain, magsipag lang tayo.

Ngunit ang perang kikitain natin ay hindi po nabibili ang buhay. A lost life is a lost life forever. Andirito po kami para tumulong sa inyo sa abot nang aming makakaya,” he encouraged.

Go likewise reassured that better fire protection and prevention efforts can be expected from the Bureau of Fire Protection following its ten-year modernization program mandated under the BFP Modernization Act of 2021.

Primarily authored and co-sponsored by Go, the Act aims to improve the bureau’s capability to respond to fire-related incidents by procuring new fire equipment, expanding manpower, and conducting specialized training for firefighters, among others.

Go, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, also took the opportunity to encourage eligible beneficiaries to participate in the national inoculation drive by the government, saying, “Habang andiyan pa po ang COVID-19, nakikiusap po kami sa gobyerno (at) bilang Committee Chair on Health po, facemask muna tayo at mag-ingat. At may pakiusap lang ako sa inyo, kung hindi pa po kayo bakunado, magpabakuna na ho kayo. Ang bakuna po ang tanging susi o solusyon para unti-unti na tayong makabalik sa ating normal na pamumuhay.”

The senator also urged those with underlying health concerns to visit any of the two Malasakit Centers in the province, including Southern Tagalog Regional Hospital in the city, and General Emilio Aguinaldo Memorial Hospital in Trece Martires City, should they need medical assistance from the government.

Designed to be a one-stop shop for particularly poor and indigent patients, the Malasakit Center puts together concerned agencies, such as the DSWD, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, under one roof to provide convenient access to medical assistance programs.

To date, there are 151 Malasakit Centers that have helped over three million Filipinos nationwide. Go is the principal author and sponsor of the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019.

“Batas na po ‘yan na isinulong ko noon (at) pinirmahan ni (dating) pangulong (Rodrigo) Duterte. Para po ‘yan sa poor and indigent patients, para po yan sa Pilipino. Wala pong pinipili ang Malasakit Center, basta Pilipino ka, qualified ka,” he cited.

As he advocates for a more progressive Bacoor City, Go likewise extended his support to several projects to help improve its public service delivery. Among these are the construction of a slope protection in the Zapote River, construction of flood mitigation structure and revetment along Bacoor River, construction of multipurpose buildings in Brgys. Mambog 3 and San Nicolas II, rehabilitation and construction of roads, and construction of Daang-Hari Flyover Road.

Go has also committed to help acquire an ambulance unit for the local government’s use and the construction of a Super Health Center as part of his initiative to bring Filipinos closer to the government’s health services.

Apart from Bacoor City, Super Health Centers will also be established in the cities of Dasmariñas, General Trias, and Imus; and towns of Carmona, Kawit, Magallanes and Tanza.

“Exhausted po ako nung nakaraang anim na taon, parang piniga kami sa trabaho (at) sa nangyari sa pandemya. Ako naman po, puro trabaho lang po talaga ako at serbisyo, Lunes hanggang Linggo po ‘yan. Kaya talaga pong nakakapagod. Tao lang din po ako na napapagod pero tuwing nakikita ko po ang mga kababayan natin na masaya at nagtutulungan, nawawala po ang aking pagod,” expressed Go.

“Huwag ho kayong magpasalamat sa amin (dahil) trabaho po namin ‘yan na magserbisyo sa inyo. Sa totoo lang po, kami po ang dapat magpasalamat sa inyo dahil kami po’y mga probinsyano lamang na binigyan niyo po ng pagkakataon na makapagserbisyo sa inyo. Kaya hindi po namin sasayangin ang panahon,” he reaffirmed.

On August 11, the senator’s team provided relief to nuns of the Sisters of Mary School at Silang.