SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go sends aid to fire victims in Muntinlupa City.
“Mga kababayan ko, mag-ingat tayo dahil delikado pa ang panahon at nasa gitna tayo ng pandemya. Mahirap masunugan. Gayunpaman, tandaan natin na ang gamit naman ay nabibili at ang pera po’y kikitain natin muli. Pero ang perang kikitain natin ay hindi po mabibili ang buhay. A lost life is a lost life forever,” said Senator Christopher “Bong” Go in a video message during his Malasakit Team’s relief effort for fire victims in Muntinlupa City,” said Sen. Bong Go.
The next day, March 6, Go personally assisted more fire victims in the city together with the National Housing Authority.
“Saksi ako sa hinagpis na nararamdaman ng ating mga kababayan na biktima ng mga sunog. Buwan-buwan, bago ang pandemya, ilang insidente ng sunog ang aking binibisita sa iba’t ibang panig ng bansa upang makapagbigay ng tulong sa mga kababayan nating nabiktima nito,” he added.
In observance of Fire Prevention Month, Go then reiterated the importance of upgrading the capacity of the Bureau of Fire Protection, especially in observance of Fire Prevention Month.
Go highlighted that the government continues its best efforts to ensure stronger fire prevention efforts occur in communities. He also cited that the Bureau of Fire Protection is undergoing a modernization program by Republic Act No. 11589 or the BFP Modernization Act, primarily authored and co-sponsored by Go.
The law mandates the agency undergo a ten-year modernization program to transform the bureau into a world-class institution. This program would significantly improve the bureau’s capability to respond to fire-related incidents by recruiting more firefighters, acquiring new fire equipment, and developing specialized training, among other things.
Held at the Poblacion covered court, the Malasakit Team visited on Tuesday, March 5, and provided assistance to 108 fire victims, such as grocery packs, shirts, masks, vitamins, and snacks, to help hasten their recovery. There were also select recipients of shoes and a mobile phone.
Still, in line with his efforts to improve the country’s health sector, Go encouraged residents to visit the Malasakit Center at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in the city to assist them with any medical-related expenses.
After he witnessed the struggles of disadvantaged Filipinos in settling their hospital bills, Go initiated the Malasakit Centers program and successfully pushed for Republic Act No. 11463, which he principally sponsored and authored in 2019.
To date, there are 161 Malasakit Centers that have helped ten million Filipinos nationwide.
As Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go aims to ensure the city overcomes crises. For this reason, he supported the acquisition of medicines for the city’s Rolling Botika, a multipurpose vehicle, the construction of an evacuation center and a stand-alone dialysis clinic inside the Bureau of Corrections.
He also supported the funding for a Super Health Center in the city to help improve access to healthcare at the grassroots level as part of his efforts as Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography.
