By Rey Anthony Chiu, PIA-Bohol | 01:12 PM March 07, 2021
He was almost 400 miles away and yet Senator Christopher Lawrence Go, otherwise Kuya Bong never forgot the Boholanos who were displaced by the measures against corona virus disease and gave out assistance to help them go over the economic crisis brought about by the pandemic.
Beneficiaries to the three-day whirlwind distribution of assistance from March 1 to 3, were persons with disabilities, displaced workers, market vendors and motor service vehicle drivers who were severely affected by the measures implemented to contain the spread of Covid-19.
In Corella, the 705 beneficiaries and accompanied by a horde of Kuya Bong supporters occupied the covered Multi-purpose Hall in the public market complex as local leaders led by Congressman Edgar Chatto, Governor Arthur Yap, League of Municipalities of the Philippines President and Dauis Mayor Marietta Sumaylo, Board Members Aldner Damalerio and Ricardo Masamayor, Corella Mayor Hilario Tocmo and town leaders when the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) handed out P3,000 in financial Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS).
Also there to offer their services were the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and the Department of Trade and Industry.
Grocery packs, food packs, brand new sports shoes, mountain bikes and computer tablets were raffled as the audience, practicing social distancing even when it was almost impossible to do so at times, awaited for the online address of the senator, flashed on a giant screen.
In Balilihan in the afternoon of March 1, 370 beneficiaries were sparsely seated on monobloc chairs and the crowd reached the concrete risers, suffering the mid-day sun, to await for their assistance.
Senator Go representative Samantha dela Pena did similar crowd interactive activities as the beneficiaries awaited for the connection to clear and for the senator to be joining the event online.
Rubber shoes, face masks, face shields, food and grocery packs were distributed while the DSWD also handed out the P3,000 AICS.
The next three days found the same Senator Bong Go team relentless and tireless with the DSWD in Trinidad making the day easier for the 1000 beneficiaries and to 585 beneficiaries of Tagbilaran City in the afternoon.
By March 3, the team was already in Alburquerque to distribute the assistance to over a thousand beneficiaries and the senator’s aid to the underprivileged sectors while in the afternoon, the team was again with Loay Mayor Hilario Ayuban and the local DSWD team in handling out aids to 998 beneficiaries.
We are giving mountain bikes, so the lucky ones among you will have something to use to commute now that there is limited public transportation in this time of crisis, the senator announced to the wild applause of the audience.
For those who have students on online classes, the senator also sent a total of 60 computer tablets, these were raffled off to lucky beneficiaries.
Another set of residents also received pairs of shoes.
The Senator also reminded beneficiaries who have medical concerns to avail of the medical assistance from the nearest Malasakit Center at Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital in Tagbilaran City and Don Emilio del Valle Memorial Hospital in Ubay, Bohol.
The senator is hailed as the father of Malasakit Centers across the country. (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol)