SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go emphasized the importance of improving fire prevention awareness in local communities as he extended help to those affected by a recent fire in Barangay Sangali, Zamboanga City, on Friday, February 9.
Tagged as Mr. Malasakit for continuously exhibiting compassion for the less fortunate sectors, Go’s Malasakit Team carried out a relief operation at Brgy. Sangali covered court, where 41 households received financial assistance, grocery packs, water containers, snacks, vitamins, shirts, and balls for basketball and volleyball. There were also select recipients of a bicycle, a pair of shoes, and a mobile phone.
In a video message, Go told the beneficiaries that the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) is implementing a ten-year modernization plan, as mandated by the BFP Modernization Act of 2021. This legislation is designed to enhance the BFP’s readiness and capability in addressing fire incidents.
As a primary author and co-sponsor of Republic Act No. 11589, Go detailed that the modernization efforts for the BFP include procuring advanced fire-fighting equipment, recruiting additional firefighters, and offering specialized training, among other measures.
“Sa mga biktima ng sunog, huwag ho kayong mag-alala. Sabi ko nga sa inyo noon, ang gamit ay nabibili. Ang pera ay kikitain, subalit ‘yung perang kikitain ay hindi po nabibili ang buhay. A lost life is a lost life forever,” Go underscored.
“Ang importante po magtulungan tayo. Sino pa ba ang magtutulungan kung ‘di tayo lang po mga kapwa Pilipino? Kaya po nandirito kami ngayon para tulungan kayong lahat sa abot ng aming makakaya,” he added.
Go then encouraged residents seeking additional support, especially for health concerns, to visit the Malasakit Centers located at Zamboanga City Medical Center, Mindanao Central Sanitarium and General Hospital, and Labuan General Hospital, all in the city.
Institutionalized under Republic Act No. 11463, or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which Go principally authored and sponsored, these Malasakit Centers simplify access to government services for indigent patients, covering medical costs.
As the Malasakit Centers program celebrates its 6th anniversary this February, Go’s efforts have led to the establishment of 159 Malasakit Centers nationwide, assisting around ten million Filipinos, as the Department of Health reported.
As the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Go also highlighted the critical role of Super Health Centers in alleviating hospital overcrowding, enabling early detection of diseases, and delivering essential healthcare services to communities, particularly in areas lacking sufficient medical facilities.
Through the collective efforts of the DOH, led by Dr. Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa, local government units, and fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds have been allocated under the DOH for the construction of more than 700 Super Health Centers for the years 2022 to 2024. In Zamboanga City, three Super Health Centers were funded.
Go, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, supported constructing a multipurpose building that will be turned into a sub-national laboratory capacity building for serology and molecular testing, constructing a children’s park, and a two-story building inside Camp Navarro General Hospital.
