Committed to assisting disadvantaged Filipinos while helping boost the recovery of poor communities, Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go has once again visited the Island Garden City of Samal, Davao del Norte on 4 July to personally distribute aid to Samaleños struggling due to the ongoing global health crisis.,“Magsusumikap ako na tumulong sa inyo dito sa Samal sa abot ng aming makakaya. Hindi ako pulitiko na mangangako sa inyo na kaya kong gawin ito. Magsisikap lang ako, ‘yun lang naman ang akin. Kung ano ang aking maitutulong (ay gagawin ko) sa abot ng aking makakaya,” Go reassured in his speech.,“Ang sabi ni Mayor (Al David Uy) ay magtulungan kami para sa Samal… ‘wag kayong magpasalamat sa akin. Kami ang magpapasalamat sa inyong lahat dahil binigyan n’yo kami ng pagkakataon na makapagserbisyo sa inyo,” he expressed.,Go, together with his team, personally provided grocery packs, vitamins, masks, shirts, meals and snacks to 1,370 Samaleños at the Samal Island City College Gymnasium. He also provided phablets, shoes and watches to select individuals.,Meanwhile, as a staunch advocate of grassroots sports development and as Chair of the Senate Committee on Sports, Go also provided bicycles and balls for basketball and volleyball to select recipients. He then underscored how sports can positively influence the lives of Filipinos, particularly the youth, saying, “Get into sports, stay away from drugs. Pareho kami nila Mayor (Al David Uy) and Vice Mayor (Lemuel Reyes). Gusto kong ilayo ang mga kabataan sa ilegal na droga. Ang ilegal na droga makakasira talaga.”,“Kaya nakikiusap ako sa inyo, ating ipagpatuloy ang campaign ni dating presidente Duterte. Suportahan natin. Ilayo natin ang ating kabataan sa ilegal na droga. Get into sports, stay away from drugs. Tulungan n’yo rin kami sa gobyerno dahil para ito sa kinabukasan ng inyong mga anak,” he appealed.,As part of the government’s wider efforts to mitigate the adverse impacts of the pandemic, a team from the Department of Social Welfare and Development provided livelihood grants while the Department of Trade and Industry further assessed the needs of the beneficiaries and provided more livelihood support to qualified recipients.,Go also offered additional assistance to the residents and their families who are in need of hospital care as he encouraged them to visit Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City or Davao Regional Medical Center in Tagum City where there are Malasakit Centers available.,The Malasakit Center is a one-stop shop where poor and indigent patients can conveniently avail of medical assistance from the DSWD, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. To date, there are 151 established Malasakit Centers that have assisted more than three million patients nationwide.,“Ang target ng Malasakit Center ay zero balance. Wala na kayong babayaran sa inyong pagpapaospital. Batas na ‘yan na aking isinulong noong 2019, na pinirmahan ni dating presidente Duterte,” explained Go, who is the principal author and sponsor of the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019.,Following the end of then president Duterte’s term, Go expressed how he is proud to be part of the Duterte Administration, citing how he has seen significant and positive change in the lives of Filipinos.,He then shared how he was able to observe the former president’s transition to his new life as a private citizen, saying, “Hindi niya lang makita pero nakikita ko sa kanyang mukha ang kalungkutan na nasanay s’ya kapag gising n’ya sa umaga ay trabaho na kaagad ang kanyang hinaharap.”,“Ang kanyang pagsisikap ay para talaga ito sa ating mga anak at sa kinabukasan ng ating anak. Ako, proud talaga ako na tumulong sa kanya sa loob ng anim na taon… Pero kahit hindi na Pangulo si Tatay Digong, nandito lang ako na magsusumikap at patuloy na magseserbisyo sa inyo bilang inyong senador,” he added.,To further boost the development of the city, Go, as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, has supported the water system project in Brgys. Pangubatan, Libertad, San Remigio, Kinawitnon and Miranda; construction of bypass road Jct. Babak-Samal-Kaputian Road Brgy. San Antonio, Tagpopongan, Phase 2, IGACOS Circumferential Road; and the construction of a two-story multipurpose building and a farm-to-market road in Brgy. Tambo.