Senator Christopher “Bong” Go continues to advocate for stronger efforts to ensure better fire safety and preparedness in the country as his team provided assistance to fire victims in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu on Friday, 3 February.
The senator took his time to check on the situation of the affected families in Lapu-Lapu City through a video conference call, after he had personally spearheaded the relief operations for fire victims in the cities of Valenzuela and Navotas on the same day.
In his remarks, Go cited that the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) is currently undergoing a modernization program following the implementation of Republic Act No. 11589, otherwise known as the BFP Modernization Act of 2021, which he primarily authored and co-sponsored.
The Act shall enable the agency to respond faster and more effectively to fire-related incidents in the country as the mandated modernization program includes procuring new fire equipment, expanding manpower, and conducting specialized training for firefighters, among others.
Furthermore, it also mandates the BFP to conduct monthly fire prevention campaigns and information drives in partnership with the Department of the Interior and Local Government and local government units.
“Alam ko po kung gaano kahirap ang masunugan dahil para po talagang nagsisimula ulit. Gayunpaman, ang gamit po ay nabibili pero ang buhay po ay hindi. Ang nawalang buhay ay wala na. A lost life is a lost life forever. Kaya magtulungan lang po tayo, mga kababayan ko. Makakaahon din po tayo muli,” encouraged Go.
Held at Lapu-Lapu City Auditorium, the senator’s team provided grocery packs, snacks, vitamins, and masks to 197 fire-hit households. The team also gave away shoes, cellular phones, bicycles, umbrellas, and balls for basketball and volleyball to select beneficiaries.
To hasten their recovery, the Department of Social Welfare and Development also provided the fire victims with financial aid while the National Housing Authority committed to extend housing assistance after conducting an assessment.
Go, who serves as the head of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, then encouraged those with health concerns to seek the assistance of any Malasakit Center located in several hospitals in the province, such as Lapu-Lapu City District Hospital; Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) and St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital, both in Cebu City; Eversley Childs Sanitarium and General Hospital in Mandaue City; Talisay District Hospital; and Cebu Provincial Hospital in Carcar City.
Designed to provide particularly poor and indigent patients with more convenient access to medical assistance programs of the government, the Malasakit Centers program initiated by Go in 2018 and was later institutionalized under the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which Go principally authored and sponsored.
To date, 154 Malasakit Centers have helped millions of Filipinos nationwide.
“Kung kailangan niyo po ng pagpapagamot, lapitan niyo lang po ang pinakamalapit na Malasakit Center sa inyong lugar,” encouraged Go.
“Tutulungan ho kayo ng Malasakit Center at kung kailangan niyo po ng dagdag na tulong, lapitan niyo lang po ang aking opisina. Bukas po ang aking opisina para po sa inyong lahat sa abot ng aking makakaya, nandirito lang po ako,” he reassured.
The senator also highlighted that there will be nine Super Health Centers in the province, including in the cities of Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Danao, and Bogo; and the towns of Borbon, Cordova, Moalboal, Samboan, and San Francisco.
Super Health Centers offer basic medical services, such as database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy, and ambulatory surgical unit. Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service; oncology centers; physical therapy and rehabilitation center; and telemedicine.
Through Go’s initiative, some 307 SHCs were funded in 2022. The senator likewise earlier successfully pushed for sufficient funds for the centers in this year’s Health Facilities Enhancement Program of the DOH.
Furthermore, the lawmaker was also instrumental in the enactment of RA 11717 which increases the bed capacity of VSMMC from 1,200 to 1,500 beds.
In line with his advocacy to improve the province’s delivery of public service, Go, as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, likewise supported 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.
In the end, Go commended all local officials for extending necessary support to the affected families after the fire incident.
“Ingat po kayo, aking mga kababayan. Malalagpasan din natin itong pandemyang ito. Tulung-tulong lang tayo. Sino ba naman ang magtutulungan kundi tayo din naman kapwa Pilipino,” he said.