SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go lauded the 225 Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) graduates who have completed their training program, in partnership with the Call Center Academy in Cebu.
On Tuesday, November 21, Go’s team held a distribution activity at Cordova Sports and Cultural Center in Cordova, Cebu, and provided the graduates with additional support, such as grocery packs, snacks, and shirts.
In a video message, Go said that the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) aims to address the skills disparity and guarantee that every Filipino, irrespective of their economic status, has the chance to acquire pertinent and sought-after skills. These skills, he added, would enable individuals to secure meaningful employment and actively contribute to the overall economic advancement of the nation.
“As you step into the next chapter of your lives, armed with the valuable skills and knowledge gained from TESDA, I am confident that you will make substantial contributions to your chosen fields. Your achievement not only enhances your individual prospects but also contributes to the overall development of our nation,” Go encouraged.
Go introduced Senate Bill No. (SBN) 2115, with the objective of establishing TVET along with livelihood programs specifically designed for rehabilitated individuals with a history of drug dependence. The proposed legislation seeks to offer skills training to improve the job prospects of these individuals, enabling them to reconstruct their lives and make positive contributions to their communities.
Go also filed SBN 420, which supports the creation of a framework dedicated to offering brief employment opportunities to eligible individuals hailing from underprivileged rural households. According to the proposed law, the Rural Employment Assistance Program (REAP) would be established and fall under the purview of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). If enacted, the primary objective of REAP is to furnish temporary employment avenues for individuals meeting specific criteria, including economic hardship, poverty, displacement, or reliance on seasonal employment.
Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography mentioned that the government’s medical assistance programs are readily available at any of the seven Malasakit Centers within the province.
Enacted into law in 2019, Republic Act 11463 or the Malasakit Centers Act, principally authored and sponsored by Go, brings together representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO). These one-stop shops aim to help indigent patients reduce their hospital costs to the least possible amount.
In Cebu City, Malasakit Centers are located at Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital, and Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC). Meanwhile, there are other Malasakit Centers 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.
There are now 159 Malasakit Centers nationwide which have assisted over ten million Filipinos as of October 2023, according to DOH.
Go also mentioned that more Super Health Centers are set to be established in the province. With the support of DOH, local government units, and fellow lawmakers, Go helped secure sufficient funds in the 2022 and 2023 national budgets for the construction of more than 600 Super Health Centers across the country.
Super Health Centers, geared towards emphasizing primary care, consultations, and early detection, have the goal of enhancing healthcare infrastructure, with a particular focus on rural communities.
Go also highlighted RA 11959, known as the Regional Specialty Centers Act, which he principally sponsor and was one of the authors in the Senate. This legislation holds significant importance in the healthcare legislative agenda of the Marcos Administration, as outlined in the Philippine Development Plan spanning 2023 to 2028. The law is designed to establish Regional Specialty Centers within existing regional hospitals under the oversight of DOH.
Currently, there are three Regional Specialty Centers inside VSMMC, 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.
Emphasizing the role of infrastructure development in driving economic recovery and fostering sustainable growth, Go, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, likewise supported various 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.