Press Release
July 12, 2019

Bong Go celebrates cancer patient's 6th birthday, assures kids' hospital of gov't support

Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go brought food and help on Friday to the 6th birthday party of John Paul Culiao, a six-year-old with leukemia, at the Philippine Children's Medical Center (PCMC) in Diliman, Quezon City. At the party, Go also assured the hospital management and the patients that the government would continue to support the financial needs of the institution.

The senator had visited Culiao in the past and became close to the kid. "Naging mag-best friend kami ni John Paul," he said.

Go first met Culiao on June 14, 2018, when the senator, who was still Special Assistant to the President at the time, celebrated his birthday with the patients of PCMC. When Go learned that the kid wanted to meet President Rodrigo Duterte, he took the kid and his parents to Malacañang when the kid turned 5 in July last year.

Go also checked on Culiao's condition at a Christmas party at PCMC on December 21, 2018.

In his message at the birthday party, Go told the parents of the patients not to worry about financial assistance because the government allots ample funds to the hospital. "Tuloy-tuloy po ang tulong. Huwag kayong mag-alala," he said.

He added that the money is from the people and should therefore be spent on the people. "Pera po ninyo ito. Ibinabalik lang sa inyo ng gobyerno sa pamamagitan ng mabilis, maayos at maaasahang serbisyo."

Go wished Culiao more birthdays in the future. "Wish ko kay John Paul, magkaroon ng maraming birthday, at mas maraming bata ang maimbitahan."

He also encouraged the other kids to remain enthusiastic like Culiao despite their health conditions. "Maging bibo kayo. Huwag kayo maging malungkot. Tingnan ninyo si John Paul. Malusog na siya ngayon."

In his first meeting with Culiao last year, Go also turned over to the hospital the prize money that his team won at the 2018 UNTV Cup, a charity basketball league. Go's team, "Team Malacañang Kamao," finished as first runner-up and chose PCMC as its beneficiary.

For the parents of the kids getting medical attention in PCMC, Go reminded them not to lose hope and to keep their faith in God. PCMC is a government-owned and controlled corporation and attached to the Department of Health.

Incidentally, he met in the hospital a set of conjoined twins named Hope and Faith, who were children of a soldier.

The twins are connected at their chests and in serious condition, so Go asked the management of the hospital to give due attention to their treatment. He also said he would coordinate with government agencies and private organizations for any assistance needed by the parents of the twins.

It could be recalled that last March early this year, Go also assisted in the successful surgery to separate conjoined twins Divine and Mercy Cerillo of Sabang, Camarines Norte. Go asked private sector donors to shoulder the expenses for the operation to separate the twins after Camarines Norte Gov. Edgardo "Egay" Tallado brought to the attention of the former SAP the plea for help of his constituents and the parents of the twins, Edmund and Rubelyn Cerillo.

News Latest News Feed