SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go’s Malasakit Team provided assistance to recovering disaster victims as his Malasakit Team had relief activities for fire victims in Matalam and Makilala, North Cotabato on Tuesday, September 24.
Furthermore, the National Housing Authority, through the Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP), a program that Go continues to support, provided housing assistance to said beneficiaries to help them rebuild their homes.
“Itinaguyod natin ang programang EHAP noon at patuloy ko itong sinusuportahan ngayon upang matulungan ang mga biktima ng sunog na makabili ng materyales para sa bahay tulad ng yero, pako, semento, at iba pang kakailanganin upang makapagpatayo muli ng maayos na tirahan,” Go explained.
EHAP aims to provide immediate relief and support to families who have lost their homes due to disasters such as fires, typhoons, and earthquakes. By pushing for the continuing implementation of EHAP, affected families are given a boost to rebuild their lives and homes.
Held at the City Social Welfare and Development Office in North Cotabato, ten families were provided assistance including food packs, snacks, shirts, masks, basketballs and volleyballs, and vitamins. They were also given financial assistance by the national government to procure materials to rebuild their homes.
“Tandaan natin, ang gamit naman po ay nabibili natin, magtulungan lang tayo. Ang pera ay kikitain, magsipag lang tayo. Ngunit ang perang kikitain ay hindi makakabili ng buhay na nawala. A lost life is a lost life forever. Kaya pag-ingatan natin ang buhay na ibinigay sa atin ng Panginoon,” Go said.
Go reaffirmed the government’s efforts to enhance fire response and preparedness, particularly in light of the implementation of Republic Act No. 11589, also known as the Bureau of Fire Protection Modernization Act.
This law, which Go was a principal author and co-sponsor of, aims to boost the firefighting capacity of the country.
Under this law, the BFP is embarking on a 10-year modernization initiative. This program involves procuring modern fire equipment, recruiting more personnel, and offering advanced training for firefighters, among others.
Also, Go continues to push for his filed Senate Bill No. 192, which seeks to institutionalize a Rental Housing Subsidy Program. Under the proposed measure, a housing and social protection program will be developed to provide disaster victims better and more affordable access to the formal housing market through the provision of rental subsidies provided by the government if enacted into law.
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 166 Malasakit Centers nationwide that have helped around 12 million Filipinos based on data from the Department of Health.
“Ilapit natin ang serbisyo ng gobyerno sa ating mga kababayan na higit na nangangailangan. Patuloy kaming magseserbisyo sa inyo dahil bisyo ko ang magserbisyo at ako ay naniniwala na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo ‘yan sa Panginoon, serbisyo ‘yan kay Allah,” underscored Go.
