SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go reaffirmed his dedication to enhancing the housing situation for Filipinos impacted by natural and man-made disasters during the turnover of emergency housing assistance in Sta. Rosa City on Monday, October 7.
“Huwag kayong mag-alala, ang importante buhay tayo at walang nasaktan. Iyan ang importante. Ang gamit mabibili natin ‘yan, ang pera kikitain natin ‘yan. Pero ang pera na ating kikitain ay hindi mabibili ang buhay. A lost life is a lost life forever. Ang importante buhay tayo. Kaya pag-ingatan natin ang buhay na ibinigay sa atin ng Panginoon,” Go said in a video call.
The National Housing Authority (NHA), through the support of Go, provided emergency housing assistance to buy nails, roof sheets, and other materials for the 127 affected families to rebuild their homes.
Go emphasized one of the programs of NHA in that it delivers support for building materials via its Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP). This support is key to helping families quickly rebuild and recover from the destruction of their homes. Go continues to push for sufficient funding for the program, ensuring that victims can reconstruct their homes and restore normalcy as swiftly as possible.
“Yung matatanggap ninyo ngayon, ibili ninyo ng housing materials tulad ng pako, yero o ano pa man na makakatulong sa pagbangon ninyo,” he added.
Go is also advocating for the passage of Senate Bill No. 192, which aims to establish the Rental Housing Subsidy Program as a means of institutionalizing housing and social protection initiatives. This proposed measure intends to provide disaster victims with improved and affordable access to the formal housing market by offering rental subsidies.
Held at Sta. Rosa City Multi-Purpose Complex, the senator’s Malasakit Team, in coordination with Mayor Arlene Arcillas, provided food packs, snacks, shirts, masks, and vitamins to the fire victims. There were also selected recipients of basketballs, volleyballs, shoes, and a mobile phone.
Go, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, also urged residents to focus on their health and utilize the services offered by the Malasakit Centers located at Laguna Medical Center in Santa Cruz and the San Pablo City General Hospital in San Pablo City.
A brainchild of Go, the Malasakit Centers program provides a one-stop shop where concerned agencies, such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, are brought under one roof to ensure that medical assistance programs are within the reach of indigent Filipinos.
Go is the principal author and sponsor of Republic Act No. 11463, or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program. To date, 166 operational centers have helped more than 15 million Filipinos nationwide, according to the DOH.
“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 who is also known as Mr. Malasakit for his compassionate service to Filipinos in need.
