THE Office of Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, together with the Department of Agriculture, distributed assistance to 5,720 farmers in Carmen, Bohol from February 14 to 16. Go recognized the crucial role of the agriculture sector for the country to recover from the pandemic.

Strictly complying with the health and safety protocols, Go’s team provided meals and masks to the rice farmers at the Barangay Poblacion Norte Covered Court.

“Alam ko pong mahirap po ang panahon ngayon, nasa gitna tayo ng krisis dulot ng COVID-19. Kailangan pong magtulungan tayo, magbayanihan po tayo, at magmalasakit po tayo sa ating kapwa Pilipino,” Go remarked in a video message.

As Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Go urged the beneficiaries to continue following the mandated protocols to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country. He also urged those qualified to get their vaccines and booster shots as soon as possible to ensure that they are protected from the virus.

“Nasa datos naman po, ‘pag kayo po’y bakunado mas protektado po kayo sa grabeng pagkasakit ng COVID-19 at maiwasan po ang pagkamatay ‘pag kayo po ay protektado. Ang bakuna lamang ang tanging susi o solusyon sa ngayon upang unti-unti tayong makabalik sa ating normal na pamumuhay,” stressed Go.

The senator also provided computer tablets as well as pairs of shoes and bicycles to chosen individuals as public transportation remains limited in some areas due to the pandemic.

Personnel from the DA also provided support to the farmers under its Rice Farmer Financial Assistance (RFFA) program while the Department of Trade and Industry and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority assessed potential recipients of their respective programs.

Meanwhile, Go advised residents with health concerns to visit Don Emilio del Valle Memorial Hospital in Ubay or Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital in Tagbilaran City where Malasakit Centers are available to provide them convenient access to medical assistance programs offered by the government.

“Mayroon na ho tayong 149 na Malasakit Center sa buong Pilipinas na handang tumulong po sa inyo. Ang Malasakit Center po ay batas na, isinulong ko po noon bilang inyong Senador, pinirmahan ni Pangulong (Rodrigo) Duterte,” he noted.

The Malasakit Center is a one-stop shop where the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office are housed under one roof. This provides a streamlined process to avail of medical assistance through the unified Malasakit form.

In the end, the lawmaker expressed gratitude to local officials for their continued service amid the challenges posed by the pandemic.

“Kaunting tiis lang po, ingat tayo parati, at magdasal tayo parati. At tandaan niyo po, minsan lang po tayo dadaan sa mundong ito. Kung ano pong kabutihan o tulong na puwede nating gawin sa ating kapwa Pilipino ay gawin na po natin ngayon dahil hindi na po tayo babalik sa mundong ito,” said Go.

“Kami po ni Pangulong Duterte ay patuloy na magseserbisyo po sa inyong lahat. Dahil para sa amin po ang serbisyo sa tao, serbisyo po ‘yan sa Diyos,” he concluded.

As Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, the senator also pushed for the economic development of Carmen by supporting several infrastructure initiatives, such as the concreting of access roads and improvement of the municipal evacuation center.

Other initiatives he supported in Bohol are the construction of a municipal slaughterhouse and improvement of waterworks system in Inabanga; the construction of multipurpose buildings in Dauis, Loay, Alicia, Anda, Balilihan, Batuan, Danao, Dimiao, Duero, Garcia-Hernandez, Guindulman, Loon, Valencia and Tagbilaran City; improvement of evacuation centers in Panglao, Anda, Balilihan, Corella, Garcia-Hernandez and Valencia; and improvement of public market and procurement of mini-dump truck in Clarin, among others.

Go’s office also provided assistance to 11,936 victims of Typhoon Odette in different barangays in Carmen, Bohol from February 10 to 12.