Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go’s Malasakit Team collaborated with the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and the local government of Cagayan de Oro City to provide sports wheelchairs for the specially abled residents.
Go, who is also the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Sports, has been a staunch advocate of the welfare of persons with disabilities (PWDs) and Filipino para-athletes.
Last August, Go facilitated the provision of substantial financial support with P500,000 each to Filipino para-athletes who participated in the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. The grant distribution took place in the Senate, where Filipino paralympians received financial support from the senator and the PSC.
He also sponsored Senate Bill No. 2789. This bill seeks to amend Republic Act No. 10699, aiming to increase incentives for para-athletes to align them with the rewards given to their non-disabled counterparts who are considered elite athletes.
“Hindi dahil mayroon silang kapansanan, ibig sabihin dapat kalahati nalang din po ang kanilang matatangap kung ikukumpara po sa ating mga ordinaryong atleta. Dapat po ay taasan ito. Hindi naman po nila kasalanan na ang iba sa kanila ay ipinanganak na merong kapansanan,” Go stated in a message.
During the distribution event held at Cagayan de Oro City Hall on Wednesday, September 25, Go’s Malasakit Team, together with Councilor Girlie Balaba, facilitated the turnover of sports wheelchairs from the PSC to ten chosen beneficiaries.
As the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Go also offered further assistance to those who may need medical assistance as he encouraged them to visit the Malasakit Center located in Northern Mindanao Medical Center or J.R. Borja General Hospital in the city.
A one-stop shop, the Malasakit Center provides poor and indigent patients convenient access to medical assistance programs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Health (DOH), the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. Go is the principal author and sponsor of the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019.
Currently, there are already 166 Malasakit Centers operational nationwide, ready to assist with patients’ medical expenses. The Malasakit Center program has already provided aid to more or less 12 million Filipinos according to the data from DOH.
“Ilapit natin ang serbisyo ng gobyerno sa ating mga kababayan na higit na nangangailangan. Patuloy kaming magseserbisyo sa inyo dahil bisyo ko ang magserbisyo at ako ay naniniwala na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo ‘yan sa Panginoon, serbisyo ‘yan kay Allah,” underscored Go.
Go principally sponsored and is one of the authors of Senate Bill No. 2514, the proposed Philippine National Games (PNG) Act. The Bicameral Conference Committee Report of the bill was ratified by the Senate on September 23. It seeks to institutionalize a structured national sports program that not only promotes grassroots sports but also provides aspiring athletes the opportunity to compete in a national stage, including para-athletes.
The senator also played a key role in creating the National Academy of Sports (NAS) by authoring and co-sponsoring Republic Act No. 11470. Located in New Clark City, Capas, Tarlac, NAS combines secondary education with a sports-focused curriculum, offering a dual path for student-athletes to excel in their sports and academic endeavors.
As the sponsor of the sports budget in the Senate, Go has also continuously pushed for an increased budget for sports programs to significantly improve Filipino athletes’ preparation, training, and competitive performance on the international stage while launching effective programs to cultivate the talents of young and aspiring sports enthusiasts at the grassroots level.
As Chairperson of the Senate Youth Committee, Go continues to urge government to prioritize sports engagement among citizens, not only for elite athletes but also for aspiring youth athletes, especially at the grassroots.
“As I always remind our youth, get into sports, stay away from illegal drugs to keep us healthy and fit!” he said earlier.