Bong Go sends assistance to fire victims in Navotas City

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, in coordination with Representative Tobias "Toby" Tiangco and Mayor John Rey Tiangco, had his team visit Navotas City on Monday, January 8, to assist families whose homes have been damaged by a recent fire incident.

Attending to the needs of 47 households, Go's Malasakit Team distributed financial assistance, grocery packs, water containers, snacks, meals, and shirts. They also gave away mobile phone and shoes to select recipients. The relief activity was held at Barangay Tanza Annex Covered Court.

"Sa mga nasunugan, huwag ho kayong mag-alala. Sabi ko nga sa inyo noon, ang gamit ay nabibili. Ang pera ay kikitain, subalit 'yung perang kikitain ay hindi po nabibili ang buhay. A lost life is a lost life forever," said Go in a video message.

"Pangalagaan at ingatan po natin ang kalusugan ng bawat isa. Ang importante po, magtulungan tayo. Sino lang ba ang magtutulungan kung 'di tayo lang po kapwa natin Pilipino?" he added.

Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Go mentioned that there is a Malasakit Center located at the Navotas City Hospital where they may seek assistance from if they may need medical-related support.

Malasakit Centers function as one-stop shops that provide convenient access to medical assistance programs for poor and indigent patients. These programs are offered by various agencies, including the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, and Philippine Health Insurance Corporation.

Go is the principal author and sponsor of the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019. There are currently 159 Malasakit Centers nationwide. According to the DOH, these centers have helped around ten million Filipinos.

Meanwhile, he also continues to push for the establishment of Super Health Centers. Through the collective efforts of the DOH, local government units and fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds have been allocated under the DOH for the construction of 307 Super Health Centers in 2022, 322 in 2023, and 132 in 2024.

As the lead implementing agency, DOH identifies the strategic areas where these Super Health Centers will be established, two of which will be established in Navotas City.

"Ang Super Health Center po is a medium type of polyclinic. Pwede po diyan ang birthing o panganganak, dental, laboratory, x-ray at makakatulong po ito sa early detection of diseases, primary care, at ang Konsulta program po ng gobyerno. It will help decongest the hospitals and bring basic health services closer to communities," Go said.

The Super Health Centers provide essential health services, including database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory, x-ray, and 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.

Meanwhile, as vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance and an advocate of quality education, Go supported the construction of new school buildings and facilities within various educational institutions in the city, including Navotas Polytechnic College, Kaunlaran High School, Daanghari Elementary School, North Bay Boulevard Elementary School, Navotas National High School, Tangos Elementary School, San Roque Elementary School, San Rafael Village Elementary School, Tanza Elementary School, and Dagat-Dagatan Elementary School, among others.

Furthermore, Go also helped secure the funding of the construction of multipurpose buildings in various barangays, construction of floodwall structure along Chungkang River and floodgates along Navotas Coastal Dike, and improvement of drainage canals. He also helped secure funding for the acquisition of ambulance units, trucks, and multicabs.