DAYS before visiting Cebu to join the Sinulog Festival and personally assist fire victims in Barangay Carreta, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go sent his Malasakit Team to provide assistance to 144 affected families whose houses were damaged by another fire incident in Cebu City.
The relief activity was held at Basak Community Elementary School in Barangay Basak San Nicolas on Friday, January 12. All families received grocery packs, water gallons, snacks, shirts, vitamins, and masks while there were select recipients of shoes, a mobile phone, a bicycle, and balls for basketball and volleyball.
Representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the National Housing Authority (NHA) also conducted an assessment for those who may be eligible for emergency housing and livelihood assistance programs.
Go reassured in his video message the fire victims that necessary modernization efforts for the betterment of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) are currently undergoing. Under Republic Act No. 11589, which was primarily authored and co-sponsored by Go in the Senate, the BFP modernization program ensures that the agency is prepared and equipped to respond to fire-related incidents. It includes the acquisition of new fire equipment, hiring more firefighters, and provision of specialized training, among others.
“Kumusta po kayo mga kababayan ko? Sana po’y walang nasaktan, importante sa akin na walang nasaktan. Tandaan natin, ang gamit po’y nabibili naman. Ang pera po’y kikitain natin subalit ‘yung perang kikitain ay hindi po nabibili ang buhay. A lost life is a lost life forever. Kaya pangalagaan natin ang buhay na binigay sa atin ng Panginoon,” Go emphasized.
In a bid to provide greater access to quality healthcare, Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, offered to help those in need of medical-related support as he told them to avail medical assistance from any of the three Malasakit Centers in the city located at Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital, and Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).
The Malasakit Centers program, initiated by Go, is a one-stop shop that offers solutions for financially disadvantaged patients to manage their medical costs. This program consolidates various partner agencies in a single location, including the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, to streamline assistance.
Other Malasakit Centers in the province at Cebu Provincial Hospital in Carcar City, Lapu-Lapu City District Hospital, Eversley Childs Sanitarium and General Hospital in Mandaue City, and Talisay District Hospital in Talisay City.
“Para po ‘yan sa Pilipino, para po ‘yan sa mga poor and indigent patients. Batas na po ‘yan, isinulong ko noon at pinirmahan ni (dating) pangulong (Rodrigo) Duterte. Lapitan niyo lang po Malasakit Center. Mayroon na hong 159 Malasakit Centers sa buong Pilipinas na handang tumulong po sa inyo,” explained Go, who principally authored and sponsored the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019 which has assisted over seven million Filipinos, according to DOH.
Go likewise supported the construction of Super Health Centers nationwide including 21 in Cebu province. Super Health Centers offer health 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 centers, and telemedicine.
As the vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, along with backing from the DOH and cooperation from other legislators, ample funding was secured in the 2022 national budget to establish approximately 307 Super Health Centers. Furthermore, his advocacy led to the allocation of more funds in the 2023 budget, facilitating the development of 322 additional Super Health Centers across different regions. Additionally, 132 Super Health Centers received funding in 2024.
Go then underscored RA 11959, also known as the Regional Specialty Centers Act, a legislation for which he is the principal sponsor and one of the authors in the Senate. The Regional Specialty Centers Act holds importance in the healthcare legislative agenda of the Marcos Administration, as outlined in the Philippine Development Plan covering the years 2023 to 2028. This legislation is designed to establish Regional Specialty Centers within existing regional hospitals under DOH jurisdiction.Inside VSMMC, there are currently three specialty centers, including cardiovascular care, neonatal care, and trauma care.
There will be other specialty centers set to be established inside the hospital, such as renal care and transplant center, lung care, brain and spine care, orthopedic center, physical rehabilitation medicine, infectious disease and tropical medicine, mental health, burn care, toxicology, cancer care, geriatric care, eye care, and dermatology care.
In Cebu City, Go likewise supported the rehabilitation and expansion of a multipurpose building in Brgy. Duljo Fatima, the construction of a new multipurpose building in Bahay Silangan, and the acquisition of a mini dump truck.
He also supported other projects in the province, including the construction of multipurpose buildings in Barili, Cordova, Ginatilan, Pilar, Tabogon and Talisay City; improvement of existing roads in Alcantara, Alcoy, Alegria, Asturias, Balamban, Boljoon, Borbon, Carmen, Madrilejos, Malabuyoc, Minglanilla, Moalboal, Pinamungajan, Sibonga, Sogod, Tabogon, Tabuelan, Carcar City and Naga City; improvement of flood mitigation structures in Catmon and Tuburan; installation of street lights in Asturias, Compostela, and Daanbantayan; and acquisition of ambulance units for Madridejos and Naga City.
