MANILA, Philippines — In observance of Fire Prevention Month, Sen. Bong Go and his Malasakit Team distributed aid on March 21 to almost 1,000 families in Alabang, Muntinlupa who were affected by a recent fire.
The relief activity was held at the Alabang Elementary School, where Go’s team distributed grocery packs, water containers, snacks, masks, vitamins, meals, shirts, basketballs and volleyballs to 995 families.
They also gave away shoes, a bicycle and a mobile phone to select recipients.
Meanwhile, the National Housing Authority and the Department of Trade and Industry assessed those who may be eligible for housing and livelihood programs.
During the visit, elementary school student Rupert Xander Mamplata and his mother sought Go’s help for medical assistance for Mamplata’s heart conditions – rheumatic heart disease, mitral regurgitation and aortic augmentation.
Mamplata and his mother told Go of their struggle with the costs of medication, laboratory tests and travel expenses for checkups and procedures at the Philippine Heart Center.
Go, who chairs the Senate committee on health and demography, extended his personal support and encouraged them and other beneficiaries to visit any of the 161 Malasakit Centers nationwide, with 31 in Metro Manila, for medical assistance from the government to cover their hospital expenses.
Republic Act 11463, the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, principally authored and sponsored by Go, aims to provide poor and indigent patients with convenient access to medical assistance programs offered by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and Philippine Health Insurance Corp.
In his speech, Go also thanked barangay captain Christine Abas-Ding, kagawad Jan Dancel and Sangguniang Kabataan kagawad Pola Hernandez, among others, for their service to their constituents.
The event concluded with Go’s message of hope and resilience to the fire victims and his reaffirming continuous support for the Filipino people.