SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go continues to provide assistance to recovering disaster victims as his Malasakit Team had relief activities for fire and flash flood victims at the respective municipal halls in Alamada and Aleosan, North Cotabato on Wednesday, January 10.
Go’s Malasakit Team handed out grocery packs, shirts, masks, vitamins, snacks, and balls for basketball and volleyball to a total of 36 affected residents held at the respective municipal halls. There were also select recipients of mobile phones.
In addition, the National Housing Authority extended necessary housing assistance to help them rebuild their homes.
“Nakatanggap din ang mga kwalipikadong benepisyaryo ng hiwalay na tulong mula sa National Housing Authority sa ilalim ng programang ating isinulong noon para may pambili sila ng pako, yero, semento at iba pang materyales sa pagtatayong muli ng kanilang tahanan,” Go explained.
The senator, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, then encouraged the beneficiaries to visit the nearest Malasakit Center located at the Cotabato Provincial Hospital in Kidapawan City if they need medical assistance from the government.
Signed into law in 2019, the Malasakit Centers Act mandates all Department of Health-run hospitals to establish their centers to ensure that poor and indigent patients have convenient access to medical assistance programs offered by concerned agencies.
Go is the principal author and sponsor of the Act. There are now 159 Malasakit Centers nationwide that have helped around ten million Filipinos based on data from DOH.
He also maintained his advocacy for the establishment of Super Health Centers nationwide that shall offer basic services such as database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy, and ambulatory surgical unit. Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service, oncology centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation centers, and telemedicine, through which remote diagnosis and treatment of patients are made possible.
Meanwhile, the lawmaker emphasized the urgency of developing more effective mechanisms and enacting laws to better manage disaster-related situations across the nation, reiterating his call to fellow legislators for the approval of the proposed Disaster Resilience (DDR) Act, a bill he introduced in 2019.
Senator Go highlighted the critical need for the creation of the DDR. This proposed cabinet-level agency, outlined in Senate Bill No. 188, is intended to deliver a more proactive and comprehensive approach to disaster management.
“Bago pa dumating ang bagyo, mayroon na hong makikipag-coordinate sa LGUs, the preposition of goods at ililikas po ang mga kababayan natin sa ligtas na lugar,” said Go.
“At pag-alis ng bagyo, restoration of normalcy kaagad, maibalik kaagad sa normal ang pamumuhay ng mga kababayan natin. ‘Yan po ang layunin ng Department of Disaster Resilience,” Go added.
Go, as vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, has also supported several infrastructure projects, including the construction of various bridges in Alamada, Arakan, Kabacan, Makilala, Pikit, and Tulunan; concreting of farm-to-market roads in Alamada, Banisilan, Libungan, Makilala, Midsayap, and President Roxas; construction of multi-purpose buildings in Kidapawan City, Arakan, Pigcawayan, and Makilala; construction of drainage canals in Kabacan and Pikit; construction of public market buildings in Arakan and Pigcawayan; construction of a slaughterhouse in Arakan; construction of Liga Office in Makilala; and construction of a perimeter fence for the City Government Complex in Kidapawan City.
Additionally, he has supported road concreting in Kidapawan City, Banisilan, President Roxas, and Midsayap; rehabilitation and improvement of the Pikit Main Drainage Canal in Pikit; and construction of potable water system facilities in Tulunan.
Ending his message, the senator thanked the local leaders and reiterated his appeal for them to continue supporting their constituents to help them recover faster from disasters and other crises.
