Bong Go appeals to the gov't to provide additional social amelioration for poor Filipinos

Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go has appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado, and other concerned national government agencies to provide additional assistance to poor Filipinos through an expanded Social Amelioration Program.

This is following the re-imposition of tougher quarantine restrictions in Metro Manila and nearby provinces due to the rapidly rising number of new COVID-19 cases.

"Let us work together to find the funds needed to further help our people, especially those whose lives and livelihoods are adversely affected by tighter restrictions which we imposed to stop the spread of COVID-19," he appealed.

Go emphasized that concerned agencies must already provide the baseline data to determine the needed resources in order for government to be able to provide more aid to struggling Filipinos.

"I am also urging the Department of Social Welfare and Development to determine how many of our kababayans nationwide should receive additional social amelioration, so we can have a clearer picture how much resources are needed to implement this program," he said.

"Pagtulungan na po natin para maibigay ang dagdag na tulong base sa pondo na mayroon tayo. Dahil kinailangang higpitan ulit ang patakaran, nakulong na naman ang iilan nating mamamayan, bigyan natin sila ng kailangang ayuda," he added.

Go asked concerned government agencies to help all poor Filipinos overcome the difficulties caused by the rising number of COVID-19 cases and ensure that all sectors needing government assistance are prioritized.

"Hanapan natin ng paraan na mabigyan ng dagdag na ayuda ang lahat ng ating mga kababayang nangangailangan. Marami pong naghihirap ngayon. Karamihan ay nawalan ng trabaho o hirap ang kabuhayan at may mga pamilyang binubuhay kaya gawin natin ang lahat ng ating makakaya para pagaanin ang pasakit na dinadala nila," he said.

Go emphasized that government must work together to fill in the gaps as the needs of Filipino families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic continue to grow and evolve.

"Especially during these extremely challenging times, the government must do everything it can to ease the burden of our people," he highlighted.

"Isama po natin lahat ng mga mahihirap. Wala po tayong dapat na-miss out dahil hirap talaga mga kababayan natin. Huwag po nating limitahan dun sa eighteen million low-income families na una nang na-identify ng DSWD. Ikonsidera rin natin 'yung iba pang naghihirap para walang maiwanan," he added.

To stop the spike in new COVID-19 cases, the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases issued Resolution No. 104 which bans non-essential travel going to and outside the National Capital Region (NCR), Bulacan, Laguna, Cavite and Rizal from March 22 to April 4, 2021.

"Natuto na dapat tayo sa pinagdaanan natin noong nakaraang taon. Naranasan na natin -- nag-ECQ na tayo noon, nakailang pagsasara na tayo ng negosyo, nakailang pagtigil na tayo ng trabaho. Ngayon na mayroon ulit na mga mahigpit na patakaran, gawan natin ng paraang hindi masyado mahirap para sa ating mga kababayan," Go said.

"Ibigay natin ang ayuda na kailangan nila upang makaraos at mabuhay. Hindi lang po sana ito sa NCR o sa katabing mga probinsya lamang. Buong Pilipinas po sana," he added.

Meanwhile, Go called on concerned national government agencies and local government units to work together to prevent issues on conflicting lists of beneficiaries and improve the distribution system for the government's various assistance programs.

"Naranasan na po natin ito noong nakaraang taon. Ayusin na natin agad kapag may mga nakikitang problema sa listahan ng mga benepisyaryo. Siguraduhin natin na magamit ang pondo nang tama, walang masayang, at maramdaman ng mga tao kahit sa malalayong lugar ang tulong mula sa gobyerno," the Senator said.

He also asked the public to continue to cooperate with authorities, remain vigilant, and strictly follow health protocols to prevent the further spread of the virus.

"Pinaalalahanan ko ang publiko na ang pagsuot ng mask at face shield ay pangunahing paraan upang proteksyunan ang sarili at bilang pagrespeto o pagbibigay konsiderasyon din sa kapwa tao," Go said.

"Huwag natin balewalain ang simpleng patakaran na ito na makakapagligtas ng buhay ng kapwa nating Pilipino -- kasama na rin ang pagpapanatiling malinis at pag-obserba ng social distancing," he further stressed.