SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go, in coordination with Congressman Fernando “Didi” Cabredo, assisted displaced workers in Ligao City, Albay, on Friday, November 17.
Go’s team provided masks, vitamins, and snacks to 661 displaced workers at Barangay Tuburan covered court. They also gave away a mobile phone, a watch, shirts, shoes, and balls for basketball and volleyball to select recipients.
After completing the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/ Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program, the beneficiaries were also provided by the agency with livelihood support.
“Patuloy po tayong magtulungan upang mas mapabuti pa ang kalagayan ng ating mga disadvantaged at displaced workers. Magkasama tayo sa layuning ito na makabuo ng mas maginhawa at mas matatag na lipunan para sa lahat ng Pilipino,” he said.
To address the needs of residents in rural areas facing a scarcity of employment opportunities, Go has introduced Senate Bill No. (SBN) 420. This proposed bill aims to provide temporary employment opportunities to qualifying individuals from low-income rural households. These individuals would engage in unskilled physical labor for a specified duration, contingent if the bill becomes a law.
“Kami po ay nagpapasalamat sa inyo sa pagbigay nitong tulong. Makakaasa po kayo na ito pong binigay niyo sa amin ay mapapakinabangan ng aming constituents. Ang maganda po nito, makalipas ng ilang buwan, sila po ay aani ng kanilang mg produkto. Ang mga nabigyan po natin ay mga women planters at mga magsasaka,” Cabredo remarked.
As the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Go has conveyed his ongoing efforts to bring government health services within reach of Filipinos. He urged the recipients to utilize the Malasakit Centers for assistance in addressing their hospital bills.
The Malasakit Center in the province is located at Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital in Legazpi City. Currently, there are 159 centers that have helped more than ten million Filipinos according to the Department of Health (DOH).
The center is home to various agencies including the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), DOH, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), ensuring accessibility to medical assistance programs.
“Kung mayroon po kayong karamdaman, halimbawa masakit ang dibdib ninyo, at kailangan n’yo pong magpaospital at kailangan n’yo pong magpaopera sa Maynila sa Philippine Heart Center, magsabi lang po kayo. Tutulungan ho namin kayong magpaopera, pati pamasahe po ninyo tutulungan ho namin kayo,” Go, principal author and sponsor of the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, said.
Go also highlighted the importance of the newly enacted Republic Act 11959, underscoring its mandate for establishing Regional Specialty Centers. As the principal sponsor and one of the authors in the Senate, the Regional Specialty Centers Act requires the establishment of such centers within the existing regional hospitals of the DOH.
“Ito pong regional specialty centers ay isa ring paraan para mailapit natin ang serbisyo medikal ng gobyerno sa ating mga kababayan lalung-lalo na po yung mga mahihirap,” he cited.
Go likewise emphasized the role that Super Health Centers play in providing high-quality basic healthcare, especially in distant and underserved regions. These centers are strategically structured to address the fundamental health requirements of these communities, effectively closing the healthcare gap.
The Super Health Centers will offer a range of healthcare services, including database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy and ambulatory surgical unit. Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service, oncology centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation center and telemedicine, through which remote diagnosis and treatment of patients are made possible.
“Ang kagandahan nito early detection at magagamit ito sa pagbigay ng primary care at pagkokonsulta, and it will help decongest the hospital dahil pwede na pong gamutin dito. At ilalagay po ito sa mga strategic areas. Ilalagay nila sa isang barangay kung saan po’y makaka-access ‘yung mga kababayan natin,” Go pointed out.
Go, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, aims to boost economic activities in the province. It is for this reason that he supported the construction of multipurpose buildings in Ligao City, Oas and Polangui; rehabilitation of several roads in Camalig, Daraga, Jovellar, Legazpi City, Ligao City, Pio Duran and Rapu-Rapu; and rehabilitation of flood control systems in Malilipot, Camalig, Daraga, Guinobatan, Malinao, Manito, Oas and Polangui.
Similar assistance was provided to more displaced workers in Guinobatan and Libon on November 9 and 10.
