After witnessing the successful groundbreaking of the Oval Sports Facility in Limay, Bataan as well as conducting inspections in various other local infrastructure initiatives in the town, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go personally provided assistance to indigents on Thursday, February 2, as part of his continued efforts to help uplift the lives of struggling Filipinos.

“Mga kababayan ko dito sa Limay, alam ko pong napakahirap pa ng panahon nang dahil sa COVID-19 pero magtiwala lang po kayo sa gobyerno. Nandirito po kami para makapagbigay ng tulong, makabigay ng mga solusyon sa inyong mga problema, makatulong sa pag-unlad ng inyong bayan sa pamamagitan ng mga proyekto na makapagpapagaan ng inyong pamumuhay, at makaiwan po ng ngiti sa panahon ng inyong pagdadalamhati. Masaya po kami na makapagserbisyo sa inyo,” expressed Go in his speech.

Go and his team distributed grocery packs, vitamins, meals, masks, shirts, and snacks to 500 struggling residents at the Limay Sports Complex. The senator likewise gave away bicycles, cellular phones, caps, shoes, and balls for volleyball and basketball.

Meanwhile, a team from the Department of Social Welfare and Development provided financial assistance to the residents.

Committed to contribute in sports development, Go, who chairs the Senate Committee on Sports, then emphasized how sports can positively impact youths’ lives, saying, “Gusto ko pong ipagpatuloy ang kampanya ni (dating) pangulong (Rodrigo) Duterte na labanan ang iligal na droga at kriminalidad sa pamamagitan po ng pag-engganyo po sa mga kabataan to get into sports, stay away from drugs.”

As Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Go also offered additional help to those in need of hospital care. He encouraged them to visit the Malasakit Centers at Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center in Balanga City; and Mariveles Mental Wellness and General Hospital, where they may conveniently avail of medical assistance from the government.

A brainchild of Go, the Malasakit Center is designed as a one-stop shop where particularly poor and indigent patients can more conveniently access medical-related assistance from concerned agencies, such as the DSWD, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. The 154 established Malasakit Centers have so far benefitted millions of patients nationwide.

“Mayroon rin po kayong dalawang Malasakit Center dito sa Bataan – sa Mariveles at sa Balanga. It’s a one-stop shop, batas na po siya. Isinulong ko noon, pinirmahan ni (dating) pangulong Duterte sa tulong po ng mga kasamahan natin sa Kongreso. Ang Malasakit Center po nandiriyan na po sa loob ng hospital ang PhilHealth, PCSO, DOH at DSWD na handang tumulong po sa pagbayad ng inyong billing. Para po ‘yan sa mga Pilipino, para po yan sa poor and indigent patients. Lapitan nyo lang po ang Malasakit Center,” explained Go, who is the principal author and sponsor of the Malasakit Centers Act.

“Kung kinakailangan n’yo ng operasyon tulad ng sa puso ay magsabi lang kayo. Kami na ang tutulong, kami na ang magbabayad ng pamasahe ninyo hanggang makauwi kayo dito sa Limay,” he added.

As Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go has likewise supported several initiatives in the town, such as road improvements, construction of multipurpose buildings, road concretion and the rehabilitation of Ariada farm-to-market road.

Meanwhile, on the same day, Go took his time to visit some of the projects he supported such as the ongoing construction of an evacuation center in Barangay Townsite and a barangay hall in Brgy. Wawa. He also inspected the Liway viewdeck in Brgy. Reformista in which the construction of roads leading to it were funded through Go’s support.

Furthermore, Go also supported the construction of seven Super Health Centers in the province, including in Dinalupihan, Bagac, Hermosa, Morong, Orani, Samal, and Mariveles — the last one’s ribbon cutting having been personally attended by Go later that day.

Super Health Centers offer database management, out-patient, birthing, 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, where remote diagnosis and treatment of patients will be done.

On the same day, Go also witnessed in Orion the ceremonial turnover of the National Housing Authority’s housing units to fire victims he previously aided in 2019; and spearheaded another relief operation for more struggling residents in Mariveles.

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