AGUSAN DEL SUR, February 19, 2019 - "Marami, marami akong plano at isa na doon sa aking prayoridad ay ang Agriculture. Makakaasa po kayo na di ko po pababayaan ang ating magsasakang Pilipino!"
This was the statement given by former Special Assistant to the President (SAP) and aspiring senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go, a reiteration of his commitment to improve the plight of farmers in the Philippines.
On Tuesday, the former SAP visited the town of Prosperidad in Agusan Del Sur as a guest of honor in the 1st Upland Sustainable Agri-Forestry Development (USAD) Farmers' Market Day and Sharing of Best Practices event held at the Datu Lipus Makapandong Cultural Center.
Go was welcomed in the event by Agusan Del Sur Provincial Governor Adolph Plaza, provincial government officials, local leaders, and residents of the area.
Bong Go spoke to the audience about the need to uplift the situation of farmers in the country.
"Isa sila sa nagbibigay sa atin ng pagkain kaya malaki ang dapat na ibibigay nating tulong sa mga magsasaka. Talagang mahalaga sila sa bansa," Go stated.
Go understood that measures to improve the accessibility of fertilizers and new farming equipment as well as proper funding for the pension of farmers and scholarship of farmer's children must be created to ease farming conditions.
"Itong abono, itong mga bagong makinarya, itong pension plan sa mga farmers, itong scholarship sa kanilang mga anak, at marami pang iba ay mahalagang tugunan dahil alam ko na ang mga ito ay iilan sa mga pinaka-priority ng mga farmers natin," Go told audience members.
“Balak ko pong suportahan ang ating mga magsasaka sa pamamagitan ng mga programa para sa abono, makinarya, irigasyon, at mga pondong pangpuhunan. Dapat rin po maging moderno na ang mga gamit nila para di na sila nagigipit sa pag-produce ng pagkain, lalong-lalo na po ngayon na very advanced na ang agricultural techonologies na available,” Go added.
Bong Go also took time to discuss with the audience the Malasakit Center program.
"Mayroon na pong Malasakit Center sa Agusan Del Norte, sa bandang Butuan. Hopefully po, magkakaroon na rin po dito sa Agusan Del Sur. Programa po ito ng gobyerno. Nasa iisang kuwarto ang mga ahensya ng gobyerno tulad DOH, PCSO, DSWD, at PhilHealth para matulungan po kayo sa mga pangangailangan po ninyo pang-medikal," Go explained.
The Malasakit Center, a program of the Duterte administration, is a one-stop shop where DOH, PCSO, DSWD, PhilHealth, and other relevant government satellite offices are housed together in one location to ease the process for patients in need of speedy medical and financial assistance.
Go, who was crucial in starting the Malasakit Center program while working as the top aide of President Duterte, aims to put the Malasakit Center program into legislation so that each provincial and urban area can have a center of its own to cater to the medical and financial needs of local patients.
A senatorial candidate in the May 2019 elections, Bong Go has a legislative agenda with programs for agriculture, housing, education, long-term sports development, localized peace talks, improved delivery of healthcare services, anti-drug and crime drive, anti-corruption drive, barangay welfare, creation of a Department of OFWs, as well as senior citizen concerns.
Bong Go assured the crowd in Prosperidad, Agusan Del Sur that, alongside President Rodrigo Duterte, he will continue serving the Filipino people.
"Asahan po ninyo na noon, ngayon, at kung saan man ako dalhin ng aking tadhana, magiging tulay niyo pa rin po ako kay Pangulong Duterte. Kami ni Pangulong Duterte, wala po kaming ibang hangarin, wala po kaming ibang interes, kung hindi ang magserbisyo sa bawat Pilipino! Mahal po namin kayo! Maraming salamat po!”###
