SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go partnered with Congressman Salvador “Ador” Pleyto to provide assistance to impoverished Bulakeños, particularly those whose livelihoods were affected by various crises, in Angat town on Friday, December 22.
The relief activity was held at Angat Evacuation Center.
Go’s Malasakit Team provided snacks, shirts, and balls for basketball and volleyball to 531 displaced workers while they also gave shoes and a mobile phone to select recipients.
After completing the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/ Displaced Workers program, the beneficiaries were also provided by the agency with livelihood support.
“Sa pamamagitan ng programa na ito, ang gobyerno ay tumutulong sa mga manggagawang naapektuhan ng krisis at nakapagbibigay ng pansamantalang trabaho sa kanila,” Go said in a video message.
“Patuloy po tayong magtutulungan upang mas mapabuti pa ang kalagayan ng ating mga disadvantaged at displaced workers. Magkasama tayo sa layuning ito na makabuo ng mas ligtas at mas matatag na lipunan para sa lahat ng Pilipino,” he added.
To better support Filipino workers impacted by crises and to provide for those in rural areas facing a scarcity of employment opportunities, Go introduced Senate Bill No. 420.
This proposed legislation shall establish the Rural Employment Assistance Program (REAP) under DOLE, which aims to provide temporary jobs to qualified individuals from low-income rural families, who are prepared to engage in unskilled manual labor for a certain duration.
Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, principally authored and sponsored Republic Act No. 11463 or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019.
The senator pledged that he will continue supporting the operations and expansion of the Malasakit Centers program.
According to the Department of Health (DOH), the program has established 159 Malasakit Centers and helped around ten million indigent patients with their hospital bills.
In Bulacan, residents can get medical-related assistance from the Malasakit Centers located at Rogaciano M. Mercado Memorial Hospital in Sta. Maria, the Bulacan Medical Center in Malolos City, and the Ospital ng Lungsod ng San Jose del Monte in San Jose del Monte City.
Meanwhile, Go also mentioned that there will be Super Health Centers to be established across the country.
Through the collective efforts of DOH, local government units and fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds have been allocated for 307 Super Health Centers in 2022 and 322 in 2023.
DOH, the lead implementing agency, identifies the strategic areas where they will be constructed.
Super Health Centers offer basic health services, including database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy, and ambulatory surgical unit.
Other available services in Super Health Centers are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service; oncology centers; physical therapy and rehabilitation center; and telemedicine.
Go also highlighted RA 11959, also known as the Regional Specialty Centers Act, which he principally sponsored and is one of the authors in the Senate.
The Regional Specialty Centers Act plays a pivotal role in the healthcare legislative agenda of the Marcos administration, as detailed in the Philippine Development Plan 2023 to 2028.
The said law mandates the establishment of Regional Specialty Centers within existing DOH regional hospitals.
To further give the province a boost, Go, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, supported the rehabilitation of the Bulacan State University Activity Center and the construction of a multipurpose building in Malolos City, construction of drainages, provision of medical equipment for local hospitals, improvement of the Pandi District Hospital, concreting of a farm-to-market road in San Ildefonso, and many more.
