Senator Christopher “Bong” Go personally delivered assistance to fire-hit families in Parañaque City on Thursday, August 21.
A total of 119 families from Barangay San Dionisio received aid following the recent fire incident in the area. This effort was made possible through close coordination with Mayor Edwin Olivarez, Vice Mayor Benjo Bernabe, Councilor Dra. Raquel Gabriel Velasco, Barangay Chairwoman Eva Olivarez, and kagawads, who helped facilitate the outreach on the ground.
“Tandaan po natin. Ang gamit po ay nalalabhan, ang pera ay kikitain natin ‘yan subalit ang buhay ay iisa lang ‘yan. Nandito po ako para tumulong sa inyo at makapagbigay ng ngiti sa gitna ng pagdadalamhati. Ang tunay na serbisyo ay ang agarang pagdamay sa oras ng pangangailangan,” he said.
“Bilang inyong Mr. Malasakit, sa abot ng aking makakaya, patuloy akong magseserbisyo sa inyong lahat dahil bisyo ko na ang magserbisyo at naniniwala ako na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo sa Diyos,” he added.
During the relief operation, Go and his Malasakit Team distributed food packs, snacks, water containers, shirts, fans, vitamins, caps, basketballs, and volleyballs. Financial assistance was also extended to affected residents. Select recipients also received shoes and a bicycle.
“Hindi ko po kayang umupo lang ako sa aking opisina kaya tutulong po ako… Ako po ang dapat na magpasalamat sa inyo dahil binigyan niyo po ako ng pagkakataon na makapagserbisyo sa inyo,” Go emphasized.
As Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, Go further emphasized the need for sustained and institutionalized support mechanisms: “Dapat tuluy-tuloy ang serbisyo, sa panahon man ng sakuna o ng karamdaman. Kaya tinaguyod natin ang Malasakit Center para matulungan ang mga mahihirap na pasyente sa mga ganitong pagkakataon,” Go said.
Furthermore, during the event, Go assisted Lanie Labsan, a Person with Disability (PWD), who was among the residents affected by the fire incident. Labsan and her family thanked Go as she benefited from the Malasakit Center located at nearby Las Piñas City General Hospital.
Malasakit Centers are one-stop shops aiming to support impoverished patients in reducing their hospital costs to the least possible amount. Go is the principal author and sponsor of Republic Act No. 11463 or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program. To date, 167 Malasakit Centers are functioning nationwide, which have aided more than 17 million Filipinos, according to the Department of Health (DOH). One Malasakit Center is located at Ospital ng Parañaque.
Meanwhile, through the concerted efforts of Go, fellow lawmakers, the DOH led by Secretary Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa, and local government units, adequate funding was allocated for establishing more than 700 Super Health Centers nationwide, including two in Parañaque City.
Expanding on his health agenda, Go emphasized the importance of specialized care in the regions. He principally sponsored and is one of the authors of RA 11959, also known as the Regional Specialty Centers Act, which mandates the establishment of regional specialty centers within existing DOH regional hospitals.
Along with his health-related initiatives, Go continues to push for comprehensive disaster preparedness and response systems. He is the principal author and co-sponsor of RA 12076, or the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act, which mandates the establishment of permanent, disaster-resilient, and fully equipped evacuation centers in every city and municipality.
Complementing this measure is RA 11589, or the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Modernization Act of 2021, which Go also principally authored and co-sponsored. He cited the law as instrumental in improving the capability of fire personnel to respond to emergencies.
Furthermore, Go supported local vendors in the area selling ice drops and bought them for everyone. Saying, “Suportahan po natin ang sariling atin.”
“Hinding-hindi ko po sasayangin ‘yung pagkakataong ibinigay n’yo po sa akin. Magtatrabaho po ako para sa Pilipino. At iyan po ang pwede kong i-alay sa inyo, ang aking bisyo sa pagseserbisyo,” said Go who is known as Mr. Malasakit for his compassionate service to Filipinos in need.