"I have changed my mind about Go."
"I have changed my mind about Go."
During the 2019 elections, one of the candidates for the Senate was a close aide of President Duterte, Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go.
In the beginning, I had serious doubts about Go because he had never worked in government aside from being an assistant to Mr. Duterte. But now, I must say that I have never seen a senator who has done so many things for the people in such a short time, Santa Banana!
He has been building Malasakit Centers—a one-stop shop created by the law.
All Filipinos who need medical and financial assistance can now go to these Malasakit Centers. They can do this instead of lining up for hours at the offices of the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.
There are Malasakit Centers in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Bong Go is doing all these as chairman of the Senate committee on health.
Whenever and wherever there is a fire, Bong Go is also there to provide aid and comfort to the victims.
Santa Banana, he does this aside from being with the President at all times even when the latter is in Davao City. And yet, he still finds time to always be at the Senate during sessions. With all these things that he’s doing for those who need his help, I consider him a performer and an achiever!
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With no less than 202 members of the House of Representatives signing a manifesto expressing support for speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, he is assured of being Speaker until the end of the term of President Duterte. My gulay, even the members of the minority want him to be Speaker despite his turn sharing agreement with Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco.
Velasco has hardly made his presence known. Cayetano simply deserves to continue his speakership. First, he is fair in the distribution of pork and other benefits to every member of the House. Speaker Cayetano has delivered President Duterte’s legislative agenda during this pandemic. Above all, with his leadership, Cayetano had the national budget passed on time.
Traditionally, the speakership must have the blessing of the president. Majority House leader Martin Romualdez said that Cayetano had spoken with the President regarding the speakership. I have no reason to doubt the words of Romualdez. My gulay, just look at the photos of the dinner between Cayetano and presidential son, Davao City representative, Paolo Duterte.
Well, that is how it is in politics. It’s the numbers that prevail.
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As seen by health experts, the easing of health protocols to Modified General Community Quarantine would be too risky especially here in Metro Manila. The number of new cases is still rising and the number of fatalities is still high.
This is why it is only right that we remain under GCQ until the nation can be assured of a vaccine. We can never be too careful.
I know that there is also a demand to relax health protocols because many people are losing their jobs and closing their businesses. But safety comes first. If we have already survived the past seven to eight months being in quarantine, we can certainly sacrifice some more.
My gulay, my wife and I have already been indoors for many months and we don’t mind this little sacrifice. We should also think of the common good.
* * *
I have been asked who I think will win in the US Presidential elections in November. My answer is I don’t know.
The polls say that Democratic presidential Candidate Joe Biden is likely to win. But bookies outside the US are still betting on re-electionist Donald Trump.
Recall that in 2016, Hilary Clinton was leading in the surveys. In fact, she won the popular vote. But Donald Trump won because of the electoral college system. Thus, I refuse to make a prediction.
