Senator Christopher “Bong” Go has exhorted his fellow candidates in the 2022 elections to focus first on vaccines and “bayanihan” for the country to easily recover from its economic slump.
He called for greater unity as the Philippines tries to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic as a more resilient nation.
Despite his vice-presidential bid, Go said he remains focused on his duties as a senator and public servant, especially in assisting the government and the general public in combating the adverse effects of coronavirus.
He also committed that he will not waste any opportunity to serve fellow Filipinos in need and that he will be a “working vice president” if elected by the Filipino people.
“I will not just be sitting there and criticizing the President. I will be a working VP. No time, not even a minute will be wasted,” he added in an interview after the launch of the Malasakit Center at the Marinduque Provincial Hospital in Boac, Marinduque.
Go said he is willing to work with anyone who the people choose to lead the country and has vowed to impart the lessons he has learned from working with President Rodrigo Duterte over the years.
Go also committed to continue advocating for youth-oriented initiatives, asserting that education will help families overcome poverty.
In the Senate, Go has been pushing for the passage of Senate Bill 396 that would expand the application of the Special Education Fund, giving local government units the flexibility to boost their support to local public schools and facilitate the transition to “blended learning” amid the pandemic.
Meanwhile, Go’s team has also been distributing computer tablets to select students during relief activities organized by his office since the pandemic began to help them in their blended learning set-up implemented in schools.
The former presidential aide also vowed to continue the legacy programs initiated by the current administration especially in infrastructure development and the fight against criminality, corruption, and illegal drugs.
He said that the “Build Build Build” Program, the Duterte Administration’s ambitious infrastructure development plan, is made up of hundreds of projects that will be implemented throughout the country.
The program’s objectives are to relieve poverty, strengthen the economy, and alleviate traffic congestion in Metro Manila. It is now dubbed by pundits as the Golden Age in Philippine Infrastructure.
From July 2016 to December 2020, the Department of Public Works and Highways completed the building, renovation, and improvement of 26,494 kilometers of roads, 10,376 flood control structures, and 5,555 bridges, reducing travel time and ensuring safety.
The Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3, the San Fernando By-pass Road, the Bulacan Pulilan-Baliuag Diversion Road, the Sorsogon City Coastal By-Pass Road, the TPLEX-Luzon Spine Expressway Network, and the Urdaneta City By-pass Road are among these projects.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency reported that between July 2016 to August 2021, it has seized PhP64.09 billion worth of illegal drugs and laboratory equipment.
PDEA has also dismantled 893 dens and clandestine labs and reported that 22,858 barangays out of 42,045 are now considered drug-free.
A total of 307,521 drug criminals have been arrested, while 3,922 have been rescued in anti-illegal drug operations, noted Go, citing PDEA reports.