Senator Christopher "Bong" Go is pushing for the strengthening of programs and services offered by the government to former rebels who decide to rejoin mainstream society and live with their families in peace.

"Masakit makitang mga Pilipino ay nagpapatayan sa kapwa nila Pilipino dahil lang sa magkaibang paniniwala (It pains me to see Filipinos killing each other because of differing beliefs),” said Go, who serves as vice chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense.

Even before his days as a senator, Go said that he has been a witness to the root causes of rebellion in the Philippines, since he served as former president Rodrigo Duterte's aide for more than two decades starting while the latter was still the mayor of Davao City.

"Kadalasang rason bakit merong namumundok na mga kapatid nating Pilipino ay dahil sa sobrang kahirapan, at ang paniniwala nila na pinapababayaan na sila ng gobyerno, lalo na yung mga kababayan nating nasa liblib na mga lugar (Usually the reason why our fellow Filipinos go to the mountains is because of poverty, and the belief that the government has forgotten about them, especially those in far-flung areas)," Go asserted.

"Kaya nga dapat maresolbahan natin ang isyu sa kahirapan, mahalaga na walang pamilyang nagugutom at natutulog sa gabi na walang laman ang tiyan. Dito papasok ang mga kabuhayan programs natin. At kailangang mas lalong ilapit natin ang mga serbisyo ng pamahalaan sa kanila, lalo na yung mga hopeless and helpless, mga mahihirap na wala nang ibang malalapitan kundi ang gobyerno (That's why we should resolve the issue on poverty, it's important that no family is hungry and sleeping without having to eat anything. This is where livelihood programs come in. We should also make government services closer to them, especially those who are hopeless and helpless, those who are poor who have no one else to go to but the government)," added Go, who also sits as a member of the Senate Committee on Social Justice.

Go elaborated on the significance of the Balik-Loob Program under the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), which aims to reintegrate former rebels into mainstream society by offering various forms of assistance and legal protections.

“Government programs and services must be felt in the grassroots and in every community so that no one will be left behind towards development. Through these initiatives, the government can show its sincerity in uplifting lives and promoting peace,” he said.

The Balik-Loob Program, officially known as the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), is a key initiative of the Philippine government. Managed by Task Force Balik-Loob (TFBL), the program commends the Armed Forces of the Philippines for its role in positively transforming the lives of former rebels.

Created by Administrative Order No. 10 in 2018, during the time of Duterte, the TFBL serves as the central coordinating body for the government's reintegration efforts for members of the CPP-NPA-NDF, including their immediate families.

A key feature of the Balik-Loob Program is the Balik-Loob Lending Program, a loan facility provided by LandBank. This lending program is one of the benefits of E-CLIP, and is aimed at helping former rebels establish or expand businesses. It facilitates their successful reintegration into civilian life.

Go has been an advocate of various reforms and programs designed to encourage more rebels to return to the fold of law. He said that in order to achieve peace, all parties should show sincerity in efforts to uplift the lives of all Filipinos without having to take up arms.

As chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Go is at the forefront of bringing essential government medical and healthcare services and programs closer to the people. Among his flagship advocacies are the Malasakit Centers program which aims to bring down to the lowest amount possible the hospital bills of particularly poor and indigent patients.

Go principally authored Republic Act (RA) No.11463 or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, signed into law by Duterte. There are now 159 operational Malasakit Centers nationwide with around 10 million Filipinos already having benefitted from the program, according to a report of the Department of Health (DOH).

With the help of his fellow lawmakers, local government units, and the DOH, Go also actively pushed for the funding of more than 600 Super Health Centers nationwide under the 2022 and 2023 national budgets.

He was also the principal sponsor and one of the authors of a Senate measure that eventually became the Regional Specialty Centers Act signed into law this year. It mandates the establishment of such centers in DOH hospitals and bring specialized medical care even to patients outside of Metro Manila and other big cities.