SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go provided support to the community of Calayan, Cagayan, through his efforts in sending assistance to recovering typhoon victims. The aid was delivered to the barangays of Dalupiri, Babuyan Claro, and Balatubat on April 16, 17, and 18, respectively, in coordination with Mayor Joseph Llopis.
Crozaldo Rosales, the chieftain from the Ivatan tribe, extended his gratitude to Go for the benefits brought by his initiatives, including the Malasakit Center program. The chieftain highlighted how these efforts have significantly assisted his and other tribes, providing vital support to indigenous peoples and enhancing access to healthcare.
“Sir, nagpapasalamat na naman kami ulit sa iyo dahil nakita ko ‘yung mga programa n’yo na Malasakit Center ay talagang marami kayong natutulungan. Kagaya namin mga tribo, nakikita ko na talagang ang dami n’yo natulungan sa programa n’yong ‘yan,” he said.
“Kaya, sir, sana bigyan ka pa ng Maykapal ng lakas… tapos ‘yung pag-aalala mo sa mga mahihirap na tao kagaya po namin mga IP. Kaming mga Ivatan, sobra-sobra po kami nagpapasalamat,” he added.
In a similar vein, Jennifer Espejo, a midwife from Dalupiri, thanked Go, saying, “Alam n’yo po, sir, senador, walang-wala pa pong nakarating na staff ng senador dito. Kahit kailan mula po noong ako’y pinanganak, ngayon lang po kami nabisita ng mga staff ng senador. At tuwang-tuwa po kami.”
“Alam n’yo, sir, sabi ko nga sa mga staff n’yo, kahit wala kaming ayuda, basta nabisita kami. Tuwang-tuwa na kami dun, sir. Maraming, maraming salamat, sir,” she added.
Calayan is a remote municipality in the Babuyan Islands, located in the northern part of the country. This isolated group of islands is known for its rugged terrain and limited access, which makes it challenging to deliver aid quickly.
Despite these obstacles, Go’s efforts ensured that vital support and assistance reached the typhoon-stricken residents of Calayan.
A total of 1,676 individuals gathered at the Dalupiri Barangay Hall, Babuyan Claro Elementary School, and Brgy. Balatubat covered the court, where they all received vitamins, snacks, shirts, and balls for basketball and volleyball. Meanwhile, select recipients received shoes and a mobile phone from Go’s Malasakit Team.
Through Go’s initiative, the National Housing Authority (NHA) also extended emergency housing assistance to help the victims rebuild their homes.
“Mga kababayan, nandirito rin ang ating NHA para sa Emergency Housing Assistance Program o EHAP. Bibigyan kayo ng pambili ng housing materials tulad ng pako, yero at iba pa,” said Go in a video message.
“Ito ‘yung programa na matagal ko nang isinulong para patuloy na matulungan ang mga nasunugan, binagyo, nabahaan, na nasiraan ng mga bahay para makapagtayo ulit at makabangon muli,” he added.
Furthermore, Go, also known as Mr. Malasakit for his compassion for poor Filipinos, highlighted his filed Senate Bill No. 2451, known as the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act, which he co-sponsored and is one of the authors in the Senate. Based on the Mandatory Evacuation Center bill Go filed earlier, the proposed legislation underscores the necessity of establishing mandatory evacuation centers in provinces and municipalities.
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 disadvantaged Filipinos with convenient access to medical assistance programs from relevant government agencies, including the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Health (DOH), 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. According to DOH, there are 163 established centers which helped more than ten million Filipinos nationwide.
“Bilang inyong Mr. Malasakit, anumang pagsubok ang ating haharapin sa susunod na mga araw, patuloy akong magseserbisyo sa inyong lahat saan mang sulok ng bansa sa abot ng aking makakaya dahil bisyo ko na ang magserbisyo at naniniwala ako na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo sa Diyos,” Go concluded.
