Press Release
March 23, 2020

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go delivers his Co-Sponsorship speech for Senate Bill No. 1418 or the "Bayanihan To Heal As One Act"

Mr. President,

I wish to manifest my intent to co-sponsor this measure and express a few points in this time of crisis.

Our country is confronted with an invisible enemy that is endangering not only our economy and our society but the very lives of the Filipino people. That enemy is COVID-19.

Now, more than ever, we, as the elected officials, must do everything we can to be of service to the Filipino people.

The Executive and Legislative branches of the government must work together to strengthen our efforts in responding to the COVID-19 situation. We, as legislators, must provide the executive branch the authority and the resources to further enhance our government's capabilities to better address this threat.

And that is what we have before us today. As Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, I wish to express my support for the urgent passage of the "Bayanihan to Heal as One Act". Isa po ako sa nag-suggest na gamitin ang salitang "Bayanihan", para po magkaisa na tayo. Palihug lang.

This bill aims to empower and give the government the flexibility it needs to address the present health emergency. Further, it seeks to grant authority to the President to do what may be deemed necessary in accordance with the law to fund measures to address and respond to the threats of COVID-19 and the economic impact that comes with it.

This measure also allows for needed realignments in the budget of concerned agencies so they can prioritize the provision of immediate healthcare needs, as well as food and cash assistance to affected Filipinos, particularly those belonging to vulnerable sectors.

Katulad ng sinabi ko noon, hindi pwedeng ipagpaliban ang tulong na dapat natatanggap ng mga nangangailangan. Lalo na sa panahon ng krisis, tuloy dapat ang serbisyo natin sa bawat Pilipino.

As a legislator, allow me also to emphasize to my former colleagues in the Executive Branch: We are passing this measure out of trust and we hope that your conscience will guide you in implementing this measure. Nagtitiwala kami sa inyong kakayahan at katapatan.

In line with granting these resources and the authority and flexibility needed to utilize them as deemed necessary, we want the Executive to make sure that this is done in the most transparent manner and that every centavo should be accounted for.

Sa panahong ito, hindi man natin mababantayan ang bawat kilos ninyo, tanging ang konsensya ninyo na lamang ang tututok sa inyo at makapagsabi na gawin ninyo ng tama ang inyong tungkulin. Nakabantay parati ang inyong konsensya.

Sa ating mga government officials, higit tatlong taon ko po kayo nakatrabaho. Alam ko po ang inyong kapasidad at dedikasyon sa serbisyo. May tiwala ako sa inyo na gagawin ninyo ang lahat ng inyong makakaya para malampasan natin ang pagsubok na ito bilang isang nagkakaisang bansa.

Tulad sa Department of Agriculture, gawin natin ang lahat para masigurong walang magugutom na Pilipino habang nilalabanan natin itong virus na ito. Make sure we have sufficient supply of food. Aanhin natin ang pondo kung kulang naman ang supply?

Sa Department of Trade and Industry, please ensure the unhampered movement of basic goods and necessities. Bantayan ninyo ang supply, ang presyo, at itigil ninyo ang lahat ng nagsasamantala sa panahong ito.

Para naman sa Department of Social Welfare and Development, Sec. Rolly, at iba pang ahensya na nakatutok sa mga ordinaryong Pilipino, siguruhin natin na makakarating ang tulong sa mga mahihirap at sa mga taong pinaka-anangangailangan.

Siguraduhin natin na nararamdaman ang tulong ng gobyerno ng mga taong pinaka-apektado sa krisis na ito - ang mga taong walang maaasahang iba, mga walang trabaho, at 'yung mga walang savings. Tutukan natin ang mga vulnerable groups tulad ng senior citizens, persons with disabilities, at indigent indigenous peoples.

Alalayan rin natin ang mga informal economy workers - mga vendors, Public Utility Vehicle drivers tulad ng mga namamasadang taxi drivers, tricycle, bus, jeep at iba pa. Pati na rin po ang mga Trisikad, Pedikab, Habal-habal at mga nagtatrabaho sa Transportation Network Vehicle Services o TNVS katulad ng Grab, Angkas, Joyride. Lalong lalo na po ang mga kababayan natin na "isang kahig, isang tuka" - mga daily wage earners na kinakailangang tumigil sa pagtatrabaho para maging ligtas mula sa pagkalat ng sakit na ito.

Responsibilidad natin na alagaan ang ating mga kababayan natin na pinilit nating hindi lumabas ng kanilang mga bahay. Nag-impose tayo ng strict measures para maprotektahan ang kalusugan nila pero hindi dapat doon nagtatapos ang responsibilidad natin sa pag-aalaga sa kanila.

We want everyone to "Stay home". But for that to happen, we have to make sure that we are able to sufficiently provide them with the necessary means to take care of their families and ensure the security they need in order to remain in their homes.

Tulad nga ng sinabi ng ating Senate President - Cash is Food. Food is security. Security is Peace and order.

Ito ang prayoridad na dapat maibigay kapag inimplementa ang batas na ito - provide immediate healthcare needs to solve the health problem and defeat the virus and, at the same time, to provide cash and food assistance to those who are affected the most in this crisis.

As to the public, the authority to be given to the President must be for a limited period only, subject to restrictions, and solely to be exercised within what is deemed necessary to put an end to this crisis and to support those who are affected by it.

The Constitution and all other laws that protect the rights of the people will remain in full force and effect.

Mr. President, gamitin po natin ang pondong meron tayo para mabigyan ng proteksyon at alaga ang ating mga health workers, doctors, nurses at iba pang frontliners tulad ng pulis at military. Gamitin natin ang pondo para sa PPEs, hazard pay, at pagkain para sa kanila. Our frontliners chose to work and serve their country. This is the least we could do to help them.

Maraming salamat po sa inyong serbisyo. We commend all our frontliners - health workers, doctors and nurses, who have sacrificed their lives to save their fellow Filipinos. Kayo ang mga bayani sa giyera na ito.

To the police and military, I commend you for your patience and hard work; and for always being ready to protect and serve our people. We are facing trying times, so please exercise maximum tolerance.

And, of course, sa mga LGUs, governors, vice governors, mayors, vice mayors, barangay officials na nag-aasikaso sa kanilang mga constituents.

I would also like to take this opportunity to address our Overseas Filipino Workers: The Philippines is your home and you will always be welcome and taken care of here. Ang stand po ng ating Pangulo ay tanggapin niya ang mga Pilipino na gustong umuwi dahil kung pati sa sariling bansa nila ay ayaw sila tanggapin, saan pa sila pupunta?

Maglalaan po tayo ng pondo para mailigtas kayo kung asan man kayong parte ng mundo kung nais ninyong umuwi. Sisiguraduhin rin natin na may pasilidad dito sa bansa na komportable na pwede kayong tumuloy pag-uwi ninyo habang naka-quarantine o habang hindi kayo makauwi sa inyong probinsiya dahil sa lockdown. Para ito sa inyong kaligtasan at kaligtasan ng ibang mga Pilipino dito sa ating bansa.

To my fellow servants in the government, particularly those in local government units and those leading our barangays, this is the time to set aside politics. Let us be accountable to, and united for our people. Unahin natin ang buhay at kapakanan ng bawat Pilipino.

To reiterate the points that I have raised here today: (1) Siguraduhin natin na magamit ang pera ng bayan ng tama. (2) Siguraduhin natin na makarating ang tulong sa pinaka-nangangailangan at pinaka-mahihirap nating mga kababayan. (3) Siguraduhin natin na walang pinipiling oras ang ating pagtulong at pagserbisyo sa bayan.

I appeal to my fellow Filipinos: magtiwala po kayo sa inyong gobyerno. Sumunod po tayo sa mga patakaran ng Inter-Agency Task Force (for Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases). Wala po kaming ibang hangarin kung hindi ang kapakanan ninyo at kalusugan ng bawat Pilipino.

To quote President Duterte: "We are now in the fight of our lives." Kung hindi tayo magkakaisa at kung hindi natin tutulungan ang ating gobyerno, siguradong matatalo tayo ng COVID-19.

Nakita naman natin sa ibang bansa na mas mayaman at mas moderno kesa sa Pilipinas, pati sila tinamaan pa rin. Wala pong pinipili ang sakit na ito. Kaya napaka-importante ng kooperasyon ng bawat isa sa atin.

Like the title of this measure, which is the "Bayanihan to Heal as One Act" dito natin makikita ang tatag at lakas ng Pilipino. Kapag nagkaisa at nagbayanihan tayo para sa ikabubuti ng ating bayan, we can overcome this and we can heal as one.

Gaya nga ng sinabi ni Mang Reynaldo Alcala...

(Plays video of Mang Reynaldo [taxi driver])

Sabi nga niya: Mahirap maging mahirap. Kaya huwag na natin sila mas pahirapan pa.

Thank you, Mr. President.

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