The Office of Senator Christopher “Bong” assisted farmers in San Lorenzo, Guimaras on Friday, 25 August. Citing the crucial role of farmers in ensuring food security, Go has been consistently pushing for stronger agricultural support systems and infrastructure.
He was one of the authors of the measure that became Republic Act No. 11901, expanding the agriculture, fisheries, and rural development financing system. He has also been advocating for other programs to support farmers and fisherfolks in the country, such as the enhancement of the irrigation of farmlands and expansion of the National Rice Program.
Go, who is a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, co-sponsored and co-authored the Senate, RA 11953, also known as the New Agrarian Emancipation Act. The law will help alleviate the debt burdens of over 600,000 agrarian reform beneficiaries nationwide.
Moreover, the senator also filed SBN 2117 which aims to provide full crop insurance coverage for agrarian reform beneficiaries, as well as SBN 2118 which aims to provide better insurance coverage and services to farmers and help mitigate the impact of natural disasters on the agricultural sector, if enacted into law.
Earlier, Go also emphasized the importance of improving competitiveness and safeguarding local farmers and industries amid the recently ratified Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement. Go believes that with open competition as a result of RCEP, the prices of goods should decrease, and ordinary Filipinos, especially the poor and those in the agricultural sector, must benefit from it.
Meanwhile, Go’s team and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), assisted three farmers gathered at Zemkamps Chalet in Jordan. DTI provided livelihood assistance through its Pangkabuhayan sa Pagbangon at Ginhawa (PPG) program, which Go pushed for during the Duterte administration and continues to support its implementation in order to boost the livelihood recovery of those affected by various crises.
“Sa panahon ng kahirapan at pagsubok dulot ng iba’t-ibang sakuna, nais namin sa inyo’y magbigay ng pag-asa at tulong na magbibigay daan sa inyong mga pangarap. Ang programa na ito ay hindi lamang simpleng tulong kundi isang oportunidad upang makabangon at makamtan ang mas magandang kinabukasan,” stressed Go.
Go underscored the crucial role of DTI’s PPG program in providing opportunities for sustainable income generation and the agency’s dedication to assisting affected communities in their journey toward recovery and rebuilding their lives.
“Palaguin niyo ang inyong negosyo. Kapag lumago ang inyong negosyo, dalhin niyo po ang mga kita sa inyong mga pamilya… mas masarap sa pakiramdam kapag pinagpawisan at pinaghirapan niyo po ang inyong pagnenegosyo,” he added.
The senator earlier lauded the signing into law the One Town, One Product (OTOP) Philippines Program, which is one of the senator’s priority legislation aimed at boosting the country’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Meanwhile, as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Go offered to help those who may require hospital care. He also informed them that they may conveniently avail of medical assistance from the Malasakit Center located at Dr. Catalino Gallego Nava Provincial Hospital in Jordan or in any of the other 158 Malasakit Centers throughout the country.
“Ang Malasakit Center ay one-stop shop. Nasa loob na ng ospital ang apat na ahensya ng gobyerno, ang PhilHealth, PCSO, DOH at DSWD. Tutulungan kayo ng Malasakit Center para sa inyong pagpapaospital,” explained Go, who is the principal author and sponsor of the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019.
The program has now assisted over seven million Filipinos, according to the Department of Health (DOH).
Apart from the Malasakit Centers, Go also supported the construction of Super Health Centers (SHCs), especially in far-flung areas. In Guimaras, Super Health Centers will be established in Nueva Valencia, Buenavista, and Jordan.
Through the efforts of fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds had been allocated under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program of the Department of Health for 307 SHCs in 2022 and 322 SHCs in 2023. DOH, the lead implementing agency, identifies the strategic areas where SHCs will be constructed.
The SHCs 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, where remote diagnosis and treatment of patients will be done.
Committed to helping boost economic development and improve public service delivery in the province, Go, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, likewise supported the completion of seawall protection in Buenavista and the acquisition of a dump truck for the local government of Jordan.