WITH his compassionate and unwavering service to the Filipinos, member of the Senate Committee on Justice Senator Christopher “Bong” Go was honored once more and dubbed Outstanding Senator at the 8th Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) Accredited National Convention of Public Attorney’s Office on Tuesday, August 13, at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.
“Sa lahat ng mga kawani ng Public Attorney’s Office, maraming, maraming salamat sa inyong serbisyo dahil kayo ang takbuhan ng ating mga mahihirap na mga kapwa Pilipino,” said Go in his speech.
“Isa sa mga opisinang nakalinya po sa aking advocacy ay ang Public Attorney’s Office. Alam nyo kung bakit? Kasi naniniwala ako na kayo po ang lapitan ng mga mahihirap. Tulad ng aking opisina, kayo po ‘yung opisinang pwedeng lapitan ng mga helpless at hopeless,” he added.
Underscoring his advocacies for the indigent Filipinos, Go, Chairperson of Senate Committees on Health, on Sports, and on Youth, also mentioned his pro-poor programs which aim to elevate the lives of his fellow kababayans and bring public services closer to the people especially the poor.
“Tatlo po ang aking naging prayoridad bilang chairman ng Committee on Health. First, Malasakit Centers. Second, Super Health Centers. Third, Regional Specialty Centers,” shared Go.
Go initiated the Malasakit Centers program in 2018 after witnessing the struggles of financially disadvantaged Filipinos in settling their medical expenses. The program, institutionalized in 2019 under Republic Act No. 11463, was principally authored and sponsored by Go. Since its inception, the program has established 166 Malasakit Centers across the country, with the Department of Health reporting that approximately ten million Filipinos have benefitted from these centers.
He also advocated for the establishment of more Super Health Centers nationwide. With the collective efforts of Go, his fellow lawmakers, the DOH led by Secretary Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa, and local government units, over 700 Super Health Centers have been funded across the country to bring primary care, medical consultations and early disease detection closer to communities.
Senator Go further highlighted RA 11959, also known as the Regional Specialty Centers Act, which he principally sponsored and is one of the authors in the Senate. He underscored the importance of this legislation as a significant step forward in improving the availability of specialized medical care in all regions.
With a theme “Ang Public Attorney’s Office sa Bagong Pilipinas: Nagbibigay ng Maaasahan, Agaran at Karampatang Ligal na Serbisyo sa Maralitang Pilipino Upang Isulong ang Karapatang Panlipunan,” Go was invited to the event as a Guest of Honor and to personally receive his award as an Outstanding Senator, saying this is also an opportunity for him to pay tribute to the invaluable service of these dedicated public servants.
Go was also previously named an Outstanding Senator during the 5th National Convention of the Public Attorney’s Office Rank and File Employees in 2023, the 7th MCLE Accredited National Convention of Public Attorney’s Office Day in October 2022, and the 4th National Convention of the Public Attorney’s Office Rank and File Employees in 2019.
“As public servants, it is our primary objective to secure the life, liberty, and welfare of our people…the same thing can be said about our legal system, about the justice system, (and health) pareho ang trabaho natin,” Go emphasized.
“Kung walang malalapitan ang mga kababayan natin na nangangailangan ng tulong legal nandito po palagi ang ating Public Attorney’s Office…Kung may Malasakit Center sa health, may Public Attorney’s Office naman po ang ating mga kababayan na nangangailangan po ng tulong sa legal at sa hustisya po,” the Senator continued.
Go then acknowledged his fellow public servants, including PAO Chief Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta, PAO Deputy Chiefs Atty. Ana Soriano and Atty. Erwin Erfe, MD, among others. He reiterated his commitment to supporting their endeavors in the legal profession and vowed to continue advocating for increased funding and resources for PAO to improve its services.
“Ako naman po, bilang inyong senador, with or without award, magta-trabaho ako para sa Pilipino. I have always been guided by a principle that Tatay Digong taught me —”Just do what is right. This guiding principle has directed my legislative efforts, pushing me to support and advocate for service-oriented, pro-poor laws that enhance our governance and positively impact the lives of all Filipinos,” uttered Go.
Mr. Malasakit Go has been a steadfast advocate for PAO, consistently demonstrating his support. He co-sponsored several measures aimed at expanding the Judicial system by creating new branches of Regional Trial Courts (RTC) and Municipal Trials Courts (MTC) nationwide.
Previously, Go filed Senate Bill No. 1186 which seeks the creation of additional divisions of the Court of Appeals and the appointment of additional justices to help the Judiciary in providing a more reliable, unbiased, and swift delivery of justice in the country.
The Senator is also the author of SBN 2111, which aims to strengthen the fiscal autonomy of the Judicial Branch.
Through the 2022 General Appropriations Act, Go, Vice-chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance also supported the Construction of the PAO Central Office Building in Quezon City.
“Every day, we face numerous challenges, but with our dedication and collaboration, we overcome them. Our unity is not just an option but a necessity for our progress,” stressed Go.
Aside from giving his heartfelt message and receiving the award, Go, together with his Malasakit Team also gave out fruits, snacks, and ballers to the participants.
“Ako ang inyong Senator Kuya Bong Go, patuloy na magseserbisyo sa inyong lahat dahil bisyo ko na ang magserbisyo at ako po ay naniniwala na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo po yan sa Diyos,” Go ended.
On the same day, Go attended the Liga ng mga Barangay National Congress Cluster 1 at the World Trade Center.
Bong Go congratulates Filipino Olympians for impressive medal haul at the 2024 Olympics, calls for continued gov’t support for aspiring athletes.
During an ambush interview on Monday, August 12, after aiding various sectors in Alfonso, Cavite, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, Chairperson of the Committee on Sports, celebrated the historic achievements of Filipino athletes at various international competitions, including the recent Paris Olympics, and outlined his commitment to further enhancing the country’s sports programs.
Go praised the exceptional performances of Filipino athletes, such as Carlos Yulo, who earned two gold medals, and Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas, each securing a bronze.
“Congratulations po sa ating mga atletang nanalo, headed by our golden boy, Carlos Yulo, dalawang gold medals. Bronze naman si Nesthy Petecio at si Aira Villegas,” remarked Go.
He noted the consistent improvement since his tenure as Senate Sports Committee chairperson began in 2019, celebrating the Philippines’ best-ever Olympic medal tally this year—two golds and two bronzes, a significant rise from previous records. The Philippines also won its first gold olympic medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics from champion weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz.
“Nakakatuwa, since 2019, meron tayong tatlong gold na. Naging chairperson po ako ng Committee on Sports, 2019 sa Senado. Sinuportahan natin ang mga Olympics, sinuportahan po natin ang Paris Olympics, sinuportahan po natin ‘yung mga grassroots program, sinuportahan po natin ang mga atleta,” he added.
In June, Go partnered with the Philippine Sports Commission to provide additional financial support worth PhP500,000 to each Filipino Olympian to aid their preparations for the Paris Olympics. They also provided the same amount of support to each Filipino para-athlete participating in the upcoming 2024 Paris Paralympic Games through Go’s initiative with PSC.
The senator earlier announced his intent to conduct a comprehensive post-evaluation of the efforts exerted by the government and various stakeholders in preparing and supporting our 2024 Paris Olympics delegation. While the country celebrates its wins, there have also been some evident areas for improvement in terms of support to Filipino Olympians such as the case of the country’s golf team lacking official uniforms.
Moreover, he stressed that there must be a concerted effort to learn from past experiences, fill in gaps in current sports programs, and find more opportunities for various stakeholders to come together to help boost Philippine sports.
“Ako po’y naniniwala, ang gobyerno at ang pribadong sektor ay nagtutulungan, malayo po ang ating mararating. Proud po ako na meron na tayong apat na medalya ngayon. Pinakamataas po ‘yan sa history ng Pilipinas. 2020 Tokyo Olympics, meron tayong one gold, one silver at dalawang bronze. Mataas rin po ‘yan sa history ng Pilipinas,” remarked Go.
As for the recent issue that left Filipino golfers competing without official uniforms, Go urges concerned entities to resolve issues emphasizing that such oversights must not happen again.
“Kaya tingnan natin nang mabuti kung sino bang nagkulang. Bakit nagkaroon ng abirya?” he questioned, advocating for accountability and improved support for athletes.
“Tanungin po natin ang PSC o ang NSA (National Sports Association) na in-charge po dito. At magiging patas naman tayo. Gusto lang po natin malaman ang katotohanan para hindi na po maulit itong mga ganitong pangyayari,” Go proposed, advocating for a thorough investigation to prevent recurrence.
“Suportahan po natin ang ating mga atleta. Sabi ko nga, minsan lang tayong dadaan sa mundong ito. Kaya anumang tulong ang pwede nating ibigay, o anumang karangalan ang pwede nating ialay sa bansa, ay gawin na natin ngayon,” he urged.
Wrapping up the interview, Go reaffirmed his dedication to service, linking it to both national pride and spiritual devotion.
“Basta ang inyong Senator Kuya Bong Go, patuloy ako magse-serbisyo sa inyong lahat. Sabi ko nga, dahil ang serbisyo po sa tao, serbisyo po ‘yan sa ating Panginoon,” he concluded.
