Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go rushed on Tuesday evening, October 8, to aid 40 families that were affected by a fire that broke out earlier in the day at Barangay San Martin de Porres in Quezon City.
The Senator distributed cash assistance and grocery packs to the victims. He also provided assistance for uniforms and school supplies of the children.
The families, comprising of 95 individuals, also received assistance from concerned government agencies, such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP).
“Ang gamit mabibili po natin, pero ang buhay po, hindi nabibili. Andito naman po kami. Magtulungan lang po tayo,” Go told the victims.
The fire started at around 12:10 AM on October 8 at the corner of Arayat and Zambales Streets near Arayat Market.
Go also recalled that he has been to the barangay before for a similar visit when a fire destroyed the houses of 35 families and caused the death of a volunteer on January 16 this year.
Erwin Tulfo, the host of Radyo Pilipinas 1 738 kHz’s “Tutok Tulfo,” called Go’s attention about the fire when he interviewed the Senator in the radio program.
“Kayo raw po ang hinahanap. Mas gusto kayong makita kesa sa mga lokal na pamahalaan, sa DSWD. Mas gusto raw nila si Senator Bong Go ang unang magpunta doon, sir,” Tulfo said.
Go answered that he would respond quickly. “Ang amin naman dito ay mabigyan kaaagad ng solusyon. Alam niyo, ito ‘yung mga panahon na litong-lito ang ating mga kababayan. Di nila alam saan sila hihingi ng tulong.”
In the same interview by Tulfo, Go shared that strengthening the fight against terrorism is one of the accomplishments of the recent trip to Russia by President Rodrigo Duterte and some key officials of the government, including Go.
“Importante po dito ay ‘yung paigtingin ‘yung relasyon at dagdag kaalaman para labanan po ang terorismo. Alam naman natin na tuloy-tuloy po ang terorismo sa ating bansa sa ngayon, lalong-lalo na sa Mindanao, kaya nga nasa Martial Law pa po tayo. Ito ay upang labanan natin ang terorismo,” Go said.
“Alam mo ‘yang terorismo, walang pinipili. ‘Pag merong pumutok sa isang lugar, apektado po ang ekonomiya ng lugar na ‘yun at inosente po ang tinatamaan. Iniisip po ng Pangulo ay kapakanan po ng nakakarami,” he added.
The Senator also reiterated his support for Senate Joint Resolution No. 8 which seeks to allow the DSWD to buy rice from local farmers to help them cope with the low buying price of rice in the market. From cash, the agency will convert to twenty (20) kilograms of rice the P600 per month rice subsidy granted to each beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
“Ito ay agarang tugon sa pangangailangan ng ating mga magsasaka. Sa ngayon, marami pa ring mga magsasaka ang naghihirap at below minimum wage ang kinikita dahil sa pagdagsa ng murang bigas mula sa ibang bansa dahil sa Rice Tariffication Law,” Go said.
Before leaving for Russia with the President, Go expressed at the Senate hearing on October 1 that he wants to co-sponsor the joint resolution. (senate.gov.ph)
