Message of Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III at the inauguration of the newly renovated Public Assistance Center

Fr. Hernandez, my esteemed colleagues, Senate officials and employees, ladies and gentlemen.

There is nothing much to say after what we have heard. Here in the Public Assistance Center, with the Malasakit Counter, actions speak louder than words. The picture speaks for itself. I am simply overwhelmed, very happy and honored, to be leading a group of compassionate and generous people.

The original or the perennial Senate President of the Senate, Senator Franklin M. Drilon, who has been Senate President many times over, started this a long time ago. Thank you, Sir, thank you, Senator Frank.

This indeed was a milestone as far as the Senate's help is concerned, because you all know that the Senate is simply for legislation but there are people with such compassion as Senator Frank who have agreed to put up something like this, for so many reasons. Then again, the important thing is that we are able to extend our help to the people who seek and need the help of the Senate.

And then, come along a new Senator, who again showed his compassion and malasakit, and that is why I would like to call him now, starting today, I would call him Senator Bong "Malasakit" Go because of his brainchild, of coming up with this wonderful and beautiful public assistance center of the Senate, complete with a Malasakit counter.

All these were possible because of the generosity of a wonderful lady, Senator Cynthia Villar. I have to say this, magaling naman na Senador si Manny, pero parang mas magaling ka. I am sure he won't mind, he might even admit it.

So again, my congratulations to you all, thank you so much. To the people, napakarami pong makikinabang dito. Katulad ng bilang na sinabi ni Senator Drilon, Minority Leader Frank, from that time on ilang libo, ilanpung-libo ang mga natulungan dito. Kasama na rin po yung mga nanghihingi lang ng pamasahe, pero still, meron pa rin tayong nakahanda kahit paano dito sa public assistance center na ito.

Again, to all of you, thank you. Ito ay isang napakagandang addition sa Senado. Siguro hindi na rin nakapanghihinayang kasi pagdating naman siguro sa 2021, paglipat ng Senado sa BGC, meron pa rin ito, baka mas maganda pa, pero ito pa lang ay napakaganda na.

Maraming salamat sa inyo.