SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go‘s Malasakit Team visited Cagayan province, in partnership with the respective local government units of Camalaniugan, Iguig, Amulong, Baggao, Alcala, Rizal, Piat, and Enrile to provide support to their disadvantaged residents on April 2 and 3.
The Malasakit Team held relief activities at Barangay San Jose Gymnasium in Baggao, Camalaniugan Multipurpose Hall, and the respective municipal gymnasiums of Piat, Rizal, Enrile, Amulung, Alcala, and Iguig. They provided 850 residents with assistance, such as shirts, basketball, and volleyball balls.
In a separate distribution, livelihood grants from the national government were also given to the beneficiaries to help them potentially start a business that would help sustain their needs while recovering from the challenges caused by various crises.
“Tutulungan po kayo ng gobyerno na mag-negosyo. Palaguin niyo po ang inyong negosyo at dalhin n’yo po ang inyong kita sa inyong pamilya. Masarap ang pakiramdam kapag pinaghihirapan n’yo po ang inyong negosyo,” Go said in a message.
Meanwhile, to address the community’s health needs, the senator further offered assistance to any resident who required medical care and advised them to visit Cagayan Valley Medical Center (CVMC) in Tuguegarao City, where a Malasakit Center is available.
The Malasakit Center is designed to help poor and indigent Filipinos with convenient access to medical assistance programs from relevant government agencies, including the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Health, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.
Go is the principal sponsor and author of the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which has already established 161 centers and helped more than ten million Filipinos nationwide, according to the Department of Health.
Furthermore, Go cited that 11 Super Health Centers were funded in Cagayan to bring primary care, medical consultations, and early disease detection closer to communities.
He also highlighted the establishment of Regional Specialty Centers through RA 11959. Go is a principal sponsor and one of the law’s authors, which mandates the establishment of regional specialty centers within existing DOH regional hospitals. CVMC has an existing specialty center for cancer care.
As part of his commitment to helping the province progress, Go, who serves as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, supported the construction of a revetment along the Cagayan River, the installation of street lights in Lal-lo, construction of various roads in Sta Teresita, Aparri, Amulung, Baggao, Calayan, Gonzaga, Iguig, Santa Ana, Enrile, Tuao and Tuguegarao City; construction of a river control structure at the Zinundungan River; installation of streetlights in Camalaniugan; and upgrading of the CVMC.
