“MAHIRAP maging mahirap. Kaya huwag nang pahirapan pa ang mga naghihirap.”

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go appealed to the government to provide cash incentives to vaccinated Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) members to encourage more of them to get their COVID-19 vaccines instead of making vaccination mandatory. Such incentives will be on top of what 4Ps beneficiaries receive in accordance with the law.

“Nananawagan ako kay Pangulong Duterte na magbigay tayo ng cash incentives para mahikayat ang mga 4Ps members na magpabakuna na sa lalong madaling panahon,” said Go.

Go proposed that all qualified members of the 4Ps household must be fully vaccinated to receive the additional incentive.

“Sa paraang ito, naenganyo na natin silang magpabakuna, nabigyan pa natin sila ng dagdag na tulong. Bagamat walang pilitan, wala rin naman tayong tigil na hikayatin sila dahil bakuna ang tanging susi at solusyon tungo sa pagbalik sa normal na pamumuhay,” he added.

According to the DSWD, approximately only 16%, of the 4.17 million active 4Ps beneficiaries have been vaccinated, as of 29 October 2021.

Meanwhile, Go also called for strengthened vaccine confidence to encourage more Filipinos, including the indigent, to get their COVID-19 vaccines.

“Ito po ang pinaka-vulnerable sa populasyon natin na prayoridad natin upang masigurong sama-sama tayong makakaahon sa hirap. Unang-una dito ang mga 4Ps households o ang kinokonsiderang poorest of the poor,” said Go.

“Mahirap talaga ang maging mahirap. Kaya huwag na nating dagdagan ang pahirap sa kanila. Ayon sa datos, 16% pa lang ng 4Ps households ang bakunado. Kung kaya’t kailangan pa talaga natin paigtingin ang vaccine rollout upang suyurin at ienganyo sila na huwag matakot sa bakuna dahil ito ang tanging paraan upang malampasan ang krisis na ito,” he added.

He also asked the government to ensure that the vaccines also reach rural areas and poor Filipinos who are reliant on government assistance.

“Sa ating hangaring malampasan ang pandemya, sinisiguro ng gobyernong may tunay na malasakit na walang Pilipinong maiiwan sa ating muling pagbangon. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit napaka-importante po na magpabakuna upang maproteksyunan ang buong populasyon,” said Go.

“Bagamat marami na pong nababakunahan lalo na sa critical areas kung saan malaki ang populasyon, mataas ang hawahan noon, at tinatawag ring economic hubs tulad ng Metro Manila, huwag rin po sana natin pabayaan yung mga kababayan nating nasa malalayong lugar, mga mahihirap, mga walang matakbuhan o malapitan, at yung umaasa talaga sa tulong at suporta mula sa gobyerno,” he urged.

Earlier, Go expressed objection over the proposed ‘no vaccine, no subsidy’ policy, saying that it is unfair and no one should be forced to get vaccinated just to get government assistance.

Go argued that every individual has the right to take or refuse immunization. He did say, though, that the government should continue to offer incentives to encourage people to obtain their shots.

“Sa hirap ng buhay ngayon, huwag na natin silang mas pahirapan o pilitin pa. Tulungan at ipaintindi na lang natin sa kanila bakit mahalaga ang bakuna. Ilapit na natin sa kanila ang impormasyon at serbisyo na kailangan upang maproteksyunan ang buhay at kabuhayan ng lahat,” Go pointed out.

“Tandaan natin na kung mas maraming nababakunahan at patuloy na bababa ang kaso ng nagkakasakit, mas luluwag ang mga patakaran at mas magbubukas ang ekonomiya. Sana ay tuluy-tuloy na mawawala ang COVID-19, kasama ang hirap at gutom na dulot nito, tungo sa mas komportable at maginhawang buhay. Magmalasakit at magbayanihan po tayo para walang mapabayaan na kapwa nating Pilipino!” he concluded.

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Bong Go optimistic amid Q3 GDP growth numbers

SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go remains optimistic with the country’s economic resilience as the Philippines’ Gross Domestic Product grew by 7.1% percent in the third quarter of 2021.

“Malaki ang inilago ng ating ekonomiya sa third quarter ng 2021, kabaliktaran sa parehong quarter po ng 2020. Bagamat mahirap pa rin ang buhay, unti-unti namang nakakabangon ang ating ekonomiya mula sa epekto ng COVID-19,” Go said.

“Ang importante lang ay tuluyan nang matigil ang pagkalat ng sakit para matutukan natin muli ang pagpapalago ng ating kabuhayan pati ang pagsugpo sa hirap at gutom,” he added.

He said that, as the war against COVID-19 continues, the fight against poverty and hunger must also be priorized in order to offer a better life for every Filipino, as promised by President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Sa paglago ng ekonomiya, mas maraming trabaho ang ating maibibigay sa mga tao, mas maraming pagkain ang mga ordinaryong Pilipino, mas maraming kabataan makakapag-aral, mas giginhawa ulit ang buhay ng mga Pilipino,” said Go.

Go also lauded the economic managers in the Duterte Administration who have worked tirelessly to safeguard the economy despite recent COVID-19 restrictions.

In the third quarter, the country’s GDP grew by 7.1%, more than the 4% predicted by analysts. The rate is also within the upper range of the government’s target for this year.

Nevertheless, Go warned Filipinos not to be complacent as the threat of COVID-19 continues to spread and evolve especially with the emergence of a more contagious Delta variant.

“Bagama’t magandang indication ito, huwag muna tayo magkumpyansa dahil mahaba pa ang laban at delikado pa rin ang panahon. Patuloy po tayong sumunod sa mga patakaran at doblehin natin ang pag-iingat,” Go stated.

“Ang kooperasyon at disiplina ng bawat Pilipino ay makapagsasalba ng buhay ng ating kapwa. Kung patuloy ang ating bayanihan at pagmamalasakit sa isa’t isa, mas mabilis nating malalampasan ang krisis upang tuluyan na tayong makabalik sa normal na pamumuhay,” he explained.

In the past year, the senator has made a number of appeals to the government to guarantee that the economy is sustained despite the adverse effects of the pandemic. For instance, Go appealed last May for the COVID-19 vaccination rollout to be fast-tracked for economic frontliners. He also backed the “Focus and Expand–Center of Gravity” vaccination approach which focuses efforts in the National Capital Region, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Pampanga, and Batangas as well as Metro Cebu and Metro Davao. These are economic hubs that account for 72% of the country’s GDP. Incidentally, they are also at the highest risk of COVID-19 transmission.

However, he also urged authorities to make sure that vaccines reach far-flung communities so that they will also be protected and not left behind.

Go explained that once population protection is achieved through vaccination, and communities eventually reach herd immunity, more economic sectors can open and move toward achieving full recovery.

“Kapag marami nang bakunado sa ating komunidad at patuloy na bababa ang bilang ng mga may sakit, maaari na pong luwagan ang mga restrictions at makapagbubukas na muli ang ibang mga industriya. Dadami na ulit ang trabaho at lalago na muli ang kabuhayan ng mga Pilipino. Iyan po ang gusto nating marating ngayong taon,” he explained.

As Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Vice-Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go had also earlier appealed for emergency financial assistance for low-income individuals, such as Social Amelioration Programs and Small Business Wage Subsidies. He also recently successfully requested the government to provide financial aid to areas that reverted to strict enhanced community quarantine measures early this year.

Previously, Go also lauded President Rodrigo Duterte for signing Executive Order No. 140, which officially adopted the National Employment Recovery Strategy as the Philippine government’s master plan for the restoration of the country’s labor market.

“Umaapela ako sa lahat na magtiwala at suportahan ang mga hakbang na ginagawa ng inyong gobyerno dahil para sa kapakanan niyo rin ang mga ito. Konting tiis lang po. Ginagawa namin ni Pangulong Duterte ang lahat upang malampasan ang krisis na ito at mabigyan kayo ng mas maginhawang buhay,” he assured.