Senator leads 3-day relief drive in Zambales
IBA, Zambales: A three-day relief operation was spearheaded by Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go in the capital town of Zambales, providing assistance to the indigent community, and visiting the newly established health center here.
Go said that the three-day operation, which started on Monday and ended on Wednesday, is part of his continuing efforts to support various sectors nationwide. He said that his team conducted the operation at the People’s Park, with around 1,000 residents in attendance.
The senator was with Sen. Robinhood Padilla during the visit to the province, providing assistance to another set of a thousand residents during the second day. The two distributed meals, grocery packs, vitamins, shirts and masks. Select individuals were given shoes, cellular phones, bicycles, volleyballs and basketballs.
Representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, in turn, extended financial aid through its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program to further help them recover from the challenges brought by the pandemic.
The senator, who heads the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, also visited and inspected the newly constructed Iba Super Health Center (SHC), which is one of the 307 being constructed under the 2022 budget that Go also pushed for as vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance.
Each SHC will have the following services: lab facilities, pharmacy, birthing facilities, outpatient department, dental services, comprehensive PhilHealth outpatient department, and other minor services. According to Go, these centers can also be used as satellite vaccination sites for those Filipinos who live far from the urban centers.
Aside from Iba, SHCs in Zambales will also be established in Botolan, Castillejos and Mayantoc.
Go pledged to provide additional support to those who require hospital care as he informed them that they may avail medical assistance from the Malasakit Center in President Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Hospital in the town or any of the 152 existing centers throughout the country.
Meanwhile, the senator also made time to inspect the construction progress of Iba town’s new municipal building, which he supported the funding of in the previous years.
Apart from the municipal building, Go also supported the acquisition of several multicabs and the concretion of farm-to-market roads in Sitio Marangla, Barangay San Agustin.
In a resolution adopted by the Sangguniang Bayan on June 23, Go was also proclaimed as an adopted son of Iba, citing that through his public service career, Go has so far shown a big heart for the country, especially to local government units where he poured government resources to empower LGUs.
The provincial government, thus, recognized Go as an adopted son of Zambales last August.
In its Resolution 205, adopted on August 8 and was received by the senator during the event, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Zambales noted that Go has “embodied the spirit of good governance and public service” by exerting great efforts to help the whole province.
“The province of Zambales is truly grateful and honored for having an unwavering partner in the person of Sen. Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Tesoro Go, whose efforts deserve commendation and recognition for the love, concern and noble intention to the province,” the resolution further read.
Go’s team continued the relief effort for another set of 1,000 disadvantaged residents on Wednesday, November 16.