Bong Go vows to serve Filipinos, marks first year in office
SEN. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go vowed to serve the needs of Filipinos wherever they may be as he marked his first year in office.
“Sap atu lo y nap ag lil ibotkoka hits a an mang lug a rats a pa ki ki ha lu bilok os a mg a ordinary on gt ao,n aging malinawsa akin kun ga no an gt u nay nam ga hi na ing nila (In going around the country and in my interaction with ordinary people, I have learned to understand their real concerns in life),” he said.
“Ang mg ai sin u mi te kong pa nu kala ayn ag la lay on na ma tug una nan gm ga pan ga raw a raw na pan gang ail an gan ng mg a Pi lip in oat mai big a yang se rb is yong sago bye rn ongn ag mama las a kits a kan i lang kala gay an( The measures I filed aim to address the daily needs of the Filipino people and provide the services that they deserve from the government that understands their situation),” he added.
“Patuloyp oak ong mags i si lb in gt u lay nil as aP angul oats ago by er non gi to para mabigy an si lang bose sat ma big yang k as a gut an an gk a ni lang mg ah in aing(I will continue to be a bridge to the President and this government and to provide them the voice so that their concerns will be addressed),” Go continued.
As of June 30, 10 of the 16 laws signed by President Rodrigo Duterte during the 18th Congress were co-authored or co-sponsored by Go, making him one of the most productive members of the Senate.
As an advocate for quality and accessible health care, Go filed Republic Act 11463, or the “Malasakit Centers Act of 2019,” signed by Duterte in December 2019. It mandates that Malasakit Centers be established in all Department of Health-run hospitals and the Philippine
General Hospital to give access to quality and affordable healthcare to all Filipinos. There are
71 Malasakit Centers nationwide.
As chairman of the Senate Comm i t - tee on Health, Go has spon - sored the passage of several local hospital bills. The President has signed into law measures increasing the bed capacity of and upgrading the Caraga Regional Hospital in Surigao City into a tertiary-level hospital; upgrading the Maria L. Eleazar District Hospital in Tagkawayan, Quezon province into a Level 3 general hospital; renaming the Talisay District Hospital in Talisay City, Cebu into Cebu South Medical Center; and increasing the bed capacity of Bicol Medical Center and upgrading its services.
He also filed several bills that seek to address other issues in the public health care system. Among them is Senate Bill 1528, which intends to amend the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act. The bill aims to enhance the health care system in terms of disease surveillance and control such as having better capabilities in conducting more testing and intensive contact tracing in times of pandemics.
Other senators have lauded Go for his performance. During his year- end accomplishment report at the Senate regular session on December 18, Senate President Vicente Sotto 3rd cited and lauded some of the bills authored and backed by Go as some of the achievements of the 18th Congress.