Solid North all out for Bong Go
Former Special Assistant to the President (SAP) and aspiring senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go was welcomed warmly by Ilocanos in the province of Ilocos Norte.
On Monday, the former SAP and the rest of the Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) political party visited Laoag City to mark the start of their party's campaign in Ilocos Norte. Go and his fellow HNP senatoriables were welcomed by a crowd composed of provincial government officials, local leaders, and residents of the area.
Go spoke to the audience in Laoag and thanked them for continuously supporting the Duterte administration and its programs for the betterment of the country.
“Maraming salamat po sa napaka-init ninyong pagtanggap sa Hugpong ng Pagbabago! Maraming salamat din sa patuloy ninyong pagsuporta sa administrasyong Duterte at sa pagboto po kay Boss (President Duterte) noong tumakbo po siya sa pagka-Pangulo noong 2016,” Go stated.
He reaffirmed his support of the Duterte administration's campaign against drugs, criminality, and corruption.
"Galit si Pangulong Duterte sa droga, galit din po ako sa droga. Galit si Pangulong Duterte sa kriminalidad, galit din po ako sa kriminalidad. Galit si Pangulong Duterte sa kurapsyon, galit din po ako sa kurapsyon,” he said.
Go reminded the audience to avoid dabbling in drugs as drugs tear families apart.
“Iwasan po ninyo ang droga. Kahit isa lang sa pamilya ang mabiktima ng droga, tapos na ang pamilya na 'yun. Sira na po ang kinabukasan ng kabataan,” he warned.
Go then discussed his top legislative agenda: the improvement of healthcare service delivery in the country.
"Nais ko pong ayusin ang mga serbisyong pang-medikal ng bansa. Dapat dagdagan natin ang mga hospital beds sa mga pampublikong ospital para mabilis na gumaling ang mga kapatid nating maysakit," he said.
Go also talked about the Malasakit Center, which was foremost among the
programs for improving healthcare service delivery.
“One-stop shop po ito. Kung noon, isang linggo kayong iikot, manghihingi ng tulong sa iba't ibang ahensya: DOH, DSWD, PCSO, at PhilHealth, ngayon po, sa Malasakit Center, nasa iisang kwarto na lang po ang mga ito para magserbisyo sa inyo,” Go explained.
“Twenty-three na ang Malasakit Center sa buong bansa. May express lane ang mga ito para sa senior citizens at kapatid nating PWDs,” Go added.
The Malasakit Center, a program of the Duterte administration, is a onestop shop wherein DOH, DSWD, PCSO, PhilHealth, and other government satellite offices are housed together in one location to ease the process for patients in need of fast medical and financial assistance.
Go, who started the Malasakit Center program during his time as the top aide of President Duterte, intends to put the Malasakit Center program into legislation so that more provinces and urban areas can have its own center to cater to the medical and financial requirements of local patients.