Amid Sinulog festivities, Bong Go prioritizes visit to aid fire victims in Cebu City

Before joining the celebration of Sinulog in Cebu, Senator Christopher "Bong" Go personally delivered assistance to fire victims in Barangay Carreta, Cebu City, on Sunday, January 14, as part of his efforts to support more distressed Filipino families.

Go stressed that it is an unfortunate situation to see Filipinos spend time in an evacuation area during the Sinulog celebration in Cebu, when people should be joyous and jubilant. That is he personally visited and provided assistance to fire victims in Brgy. Carretta in Cebu City before joining the celebration of the Sinulog sa Lalawigan Grand Showdown at Cebu City Sports Complex.

"Happy Sinulog Festival sa inyo. Pit Senyor sa inyong lahat! At 'wag nating kalimutan na magpasalamat sa Diyos. Wala tayo sa mundo kung hindi dahil sa Panginoon," greeted Go.

"Tandaan natin sa mga nasunugan, huwag kayong mawalan ng pag-asa. Mahirap ang masunugan, 'wag kayong mawalan ng pag-asa. Alam ko masakit ang masunugan pero ang importante buhay tayo. 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. Pangalagaan at ingatan po natin ang buhay at kalusugan ng bawat isa," he continued.

During his visit, at least 154 fire-hit households received financial assistance, grocery packs, water containers, meals, shirts, balls for basketball and volleyball, vitamins, and masks. There were also select recipients of bicycles, mobile phones, and shoes.

Meanwhile, in coordination with Go's office and the LGU, the National Housing Authority (NHA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) evaluated potential beneficiaries for their respective housing and livelihood assistance programs to aid their recovery further.

"Sa totoo lang gustong gusto talaga niya pumunta dito. Hindi lang staff niya yung pinadala niya dito pero siya mismo ang bibisita sa mga biktima ng sunog. Kaya hindi natin makakalimutan ang serbisyo ni Senator Bong Go. Walang kamatayan hanggang nasa puwesto pa siya tutulungan nya ang mga mahihirap lalong lalo na ang mga Cebuano dahil mahal na mahal niya ang mga Cebuano," Carreta Barangay Captain Marciano Ando highlighted.

For his part, Go also reiterated that he continues to push for Senate Bill No. 2451, titled the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act which he co-sponsored and is one of the authors in the Senate. The proposed bill was primarily sponsored by Senator Jinggoy Estrada. Initially based on the Mandatory Evacuation Center bill filed by Go, this legislation seeks to create permanent and fully-equipped evacuation centers nationwide.

"Isa po sa mga isinusulong ko ang pagkakaroon ng malinis at ligtas na evacuation center sa mga probinsya. Itong mga centers na ito ay dapat mayroong sapat na mga emergency packs, katulad ng blankets, tubig, gamot, flashlight, at ready na relief goods. Obligasyon ng gobyerno na palaging maging handa sa oras ng sakuna," stressed Go.

Senator Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, offered assistance to individuals needing medical care. He informed the beneficiaries that they can obtain medical support for their health issues from the Malasakit Centers situated at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital, and Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).

Go principally authored and sponsored Republic Act No. 11463, which institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program. To date, 159 centers have been successfully established and have helped around ten million Filipinos nationwide, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

Meanwhile, there are other Malasakit Centers in the province at Cebu Provincial Hospital in Carcar City, Lapu-Lapu City District Hospital, Eversley Childs Sanitarium and General Hospital in Mandaue City, and Talisay District Hospital in Talisay City.

The senator is also actively advocating for creating additional Super Health Centers and Regional Specialty Centers across the country. These health facilities aim to distribute medical services more evenly, ensuring that healthcare is accessible to a broader range of communities nationwide. This effort is a testament to the senator's dedication to closing the divide between the government and its people, especially in delivering crucial health services.

Super Health Centers are designed to focus on primary care, consultation, and early disease detection, further strengthening the healthcare sector in the country, especially in grassroots communities. These centers act as an advanced form of basic health units, striving to broaden the availability of primary healthcare in the countryside.

Through the collective efforts of Go, DOH, local government units, and fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds have been allocated for 307 Super Health Centers in 2022 and 322 in 2023. There are also 132 Super Health Centers funded in 2024. DOH, the lead implementing agency, identifies the strategic areas where they will be constructed. There are 21 Super Health Centers funded for construction in Cebu province so far.

On the other hand, Regional Specialty Centers are equipped to offer specialized medical care in every DOH-run regional hospital. Senator Go was the principal sponsor of RA 11959, also known as the Regional Specialty Centers Act, and played a key role as one of its authors in the Senate. This legislation mandates the creation of Regional Specialty Centers within the existing regional hospitals managed by the DOH.

There are currently three specialty centers inside VSMMC: cardiovascular care, neonatal care, and trauma care. There will be other specialty centers set to be established inside the hospital, such as renal care and transplant center, lung care, brain and spine care, orthopedic center, physical rehabilitation medicine, infectious disease and tropical medicine, mental health, burn care, toxicology, cancer care, geriatric care, eye care, and dermatology care.

To further improve the delivery of public service in the city, Go, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go supported the rehabilitation and expansion of a multipurpose building in Brgy. Duljo Fatima, the construction of a new multipurpose building in Bahay Silangan, and the acquisition of a mini dump truck.