ON Tuesday, November 21, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, an adopted son of CALABARZON, swiftly mobilized his team to provide essential support to 127 families in Barangay Caingin, Sta. Rosa City, Laguna, who were severely affected by a recent devastating fire.
Understanding the urgency of their situation, Go directed his team to provide much-needed assistance to these families, ensuring they received the support necessary to begin rebuilding their lives.
“Mga kababayan ko, alam n’yo napakaimportante po ng buhay at ng kalusugan ng bawat isa. Ang gamit naman po ay nabibili natin. Nalalabhan natin ‘yung damit natin ‘pag nasusunugan tayo. Subalit ‘yung perang kikitain natin ay hindi po nabibili ang buhay. Ang nawalang buhay po’y wala na talaga. A lost life is a lost life forever. Kaya mag-ingat po tayo palagi,” Go said in a video message.
Go’s team distributed snacks, grocery packs, masks, vitamins, shirts, and balls for basketball or volleyball to all affected families at Southville 4 covered court in Brgy. Caingin. Meanwhile, select residents received shoes and cell phones.
In order to proactively mitigate potential disasters caused by fire incidents, Go highlighted that the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) is undergoing modernization to bolster its capacity to effectively address fire emergencies and disaster situations.
Under Republic Act 11589, principally authored and co-sponsored by Go, the BFP is mandated to implement a decade-long modernization program. This comprehensive program includes procurement of state-of-the-art firefighting equipment, expansion of personnel, and delivery of specialized training to firefighters, among other enhancements.
“Modernizing the Bureau of Fire Protection is crucial to improving its ability to respond to emergencies and disasters. It is important that the government invest in the modernization of the BFP to ensure the safety and well-being of the Filipinos,” cited Go.
Advocating for improved access to quality healthcare services, Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, encouraged residents to utilize the services of the Malasakit Centers in the province, located at Laguna Medical Center in Sta. Cruz and San Pablo City General Hospital in San Pablo City.
The Malasakit Center, an initiative instituted through RA 11463, which Go principally authored and sponsored, consolidates the medical assistance programs of various government agencies including the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
According to DOH, more than ten million indigent patients have benefitted from the 159 established Malasakit Centers nationwide.
Go, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance supported various projects to bolster economic growth and enhance public service delivery in the province. He supported the construction of multipurpose buildings in Cavinti, Liliw, Lumban, Majayjay, Pagsanjan, Pila, Sta. Cruz and Sta. Maria; construction of slaughterhouses in Mabitac, Nagcarlan, and Pagsanjan; and construction of public markets in Liliw, Nagcarlan, Pagsanjan, and Rizal.
Other projects he supported are the construction of a farm-to-market road and a multipurpose covered court in Paete, construction of a drainage canal in Cabuyao City, repair of the primary road inside Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa City, and installation of street lights in Lumban and Magdalena.
“Mga kababayan ko, tandaan n’yo po, mahal na mahal ko po kayo. Minsan lang tayo dadaan sa mundong ito, kung anuman pong kabutihan o tulong na pwede natin gawin sa ating kapwa ay gawin na po natin ngayon dahil hindi na tayo babalik sa mundong ito,” he said.
“Ako ay patuloy na magseserbisyo sa inyong lahat dahil ako po ay naniniwala na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo po ‘yan sa Diyos,” concluded Go.
