Senator Christopher “Bong” Go advocates for better fire prevention efforts in a bid to enhance the country’s fire prevention capabilities and ensure the safety and security of communities.
According to a press release, Go’s outreach team provided assistance to 89 fire victims in various barangays in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental on August 4. In a video message, Go highlighted Republic Act No. 11589, or the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Modernization Act, which he authored and co-sponsored in the Senate.
The BFP Modernization Act aims to equip the bureau with the necessary tools, resources, and technologies to effectively address fire-related emergencies and disasters.
“It is vital that we prioritize the modernization of the Bureau of Fire Protection to keep our communities safe. Fires can cause immense damage, loss of lives, and livelihoods. We must be proactive in our approach to fire safety to prevent such tragedies from happening,” Go said.
Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, stressed the importance of giving priority to the health of the beneficiaries, encouraging them to seek medical assistance from the government, particularly at the Malasakit Center situated at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) in the city.
Last April, the senator also conducted a monitoring visit to the hospital’s Malasakit Center to ensure its efficient operation and effectiveness in serving the people.
Principally authored and sponsored by Go, Republic Act No. 11463, also known as the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, mandates the establishment of Malasakit Centers in all Department of Health (DOH)-run hospitals nationwide, including the Philippine General Hospital in Manila. Additionally, other public hospitals are eligible to establish their own Malasakit Centers, provided they meet the required criteria and guarantee the center’s sustainability.
According to the DOH, the 158 Malasakit Centers throughout the country have aided over seven million Filipinos.
At the same time, Go remains committed to facilitating the accessibility of government medical services to the local communities, championing the establishment of Super Health Centers (SHCs) in different regions of the country, the press release added.
Through the collective efforts of fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds have been allocated under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program of the DOH for 307 SHCs in 2022 and 322 in 2023. DOH, the lead implementing agency, identifies the strategic areas where they will be constructed.
In Negros Occidental, SHCs funded in 2022 will be constructed in the cities of Bago, Cadiz, Himamaylan, San Carlos, and Talisay, and in the town of Cauayan.
This year, more such centers were funded for the cities of Escalante, Sagay, Silay, Sipalay, and Victorias; and in the towns of Binalbagan, Calatrava, Cauayan, Isabela, Moises Padilla, Pontevedra, Pulupandan, San Enrique, Toboso, and Valladolid. Additional SHCs will also be established in the cities of Cadiz, Talisay, and San Carlos.
As vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go supported several initiatives to boost economic development and improve public service delivery in the province. These include the construction of a revetment, multi-purpose public facilities, and several road maintenance initiatives in Bacolod City; and the construction of a multi-purpose building and concreting of a local road in the town of Don Salvador Benedicto.
Other initiatives that Go pushed for include the construction of multi-purpose buildings in Calatrava and Himamaylan City; road maintenance in Bago City; and construction of a new infectious diseases wing at the Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City.
Go has also been instrumental in advocating for the approval of legislation that will create the Bacolod City General Hospital. This measure was officially signed into law by former president Rodrigo Duterte in 2021.*
