SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go’s Malasakit Team visited Tarragona, Davao Oriental, on Tuesday, August 13, to assist small business owners from the retail sector. The senator emphasized the importance of supporting community-based micro-entrepreneurs to uplift the lives and livelihoods of the poor amid the economic challenges they face.
Go’s Malasakit Team conducted the activity at the Municipal Gymnasium, where 20 business owners received shirts, basketballs, and volleyballs from the senator. There were also select recipients of a mobile phone and bags.
Through Go’s initiative and in partnership with the local government, the qualified business owners were given livelihood assistance through the Department of Trade and Industry’s Pangkabuhayan sa Pagbangon at Ginhawa (PPG) Program.
“Ngayon, bibigyan kayo ng gobyerno ng suporta at tuturuan kayo nitong palaguin ang inyong mga negosyo. Dalhin niyo ang inyong kikitain sa inyong mga pamilya. Gamitin niyo po ang pera sa tama,” Go said in a video message.
“Mas masarap po ang pakiramdam ‘pag pinaghirapan at pinagpawisan n’yo po ang inyong pagnenegosyo,” he added.
In support of local businesses, Go authored and co-sponsored Republic Act 11960, known as the One Town, One Product (OTOP) Philippines Act. The OTOP program promotes national pride in Filipino-made products while providing small-scale producers opportunities to expand their market reach. By focusing on local specialties, the program aims to elevate the livelihoods of communities and contribute to the nation’s overall economic progress.
“Sa tulong ng batas na ito, ating pinapalakas ang mga lokal na negosyo sa bawat bayan at siyudad sa bansa. Ipinapaabot natin sa kanila ang suporta na kinakailangan nila upang mapanatili ang kanilang operasyon at maabot ang mas malawak na merkado,” he explained.
As part of his advocacy to provide Filipinos convenient access to health care services, Go encouraged the residents, or their loved ones, to make use of the Malasakit Center located at the Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center in Mati City, by seeking medical assistance there.
Recently, Go praised the remarkable progress of the Malasakit Center at the Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center in Mati City. From its launch, the center’s reach has expanded significantly, serving 9,454 patients in 2020, increasing to 13,486 in 2021, and reaching 23,019 by 2022. In 2023, the number of beneficiaries peaked at 29,715. As of July 2024, the center has already assisted 11,920 patients, bringing the total to 87,594 served since opening.
Signed into law in 2019, the Malasakit Centers Act, which was principally authored and sponsored by Go, seeks to provide Filipinos with convenient access to medical programs. To date, 166 Malasakit Centers have been established, and more or less ten million Filipinos have already benefitted from the program, according to the DOH.
“Patuloy kaming magseserbisyo sa inyo dahil bisyo ko ang magserbisyo at ako ay naniniwala na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo ‘yan sa Panginoon, serbisyo ‘yan kay Allah,” emphasized Go, affectionately known as Mr. Malasakit for his dedication to aiding Filipinos in need.
