Manila Bulletin
Philippines
Go hits black propaganda accusing him of handling PH donations to fight COVID-19
Philippines
Go hits black propaganda accusing him of handling PH donations to fight COVID-19
Go hits black propaganda accusing him of handling PH donations to fight COVID-19
Published Apr 2, 2020 12:00 am
By Mario Casayuran
Senator Christopher Lawrence ‘’Bong’ Go on Thursday angrily labeled as ‘’utterly false, deliberate disinformation, and black propaganda’’ claims that he is involved in the handling of donations intended for the government in addressing the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis.
Go also said that his office is only helping connect donors to intended beneficiaries such as hospitals and health workers trying to stave off the health threat.
Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go (MALACAÑANG PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
He also reiterated that he has no presidential ambitions as his critics view his presence at natural calamities or fires as politically motivated.
Go was miffed at reports that he is using Malasakit Centers in routing donations to hospitals and health workers.
‘’First of all, Malasakit Centers are simply intended as one-stop shops for poor and indigent patients where relevant government agencies with medical and financial assistance programs are gathered under one roof,’’ he said.
Go is the main author of the Malasakit Centers bill that was signed into law by President Duterte.
‘’Wala pong PPEs (personal protective equipment) o medical equipment na dinadala o pinapamigay sa Malasakit Centers. Wala rin po ditong pondo. Isa lang po itong referral center sa loob ng ospital kung saan nandoon ang PhilHealth, DOH (Department of Health), DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) at PCSO (Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office) na handang tumulong para mabayaran ang hospital bills ng mga pasyenteng walang pambayad,’’ he explained. (There are no PPEs being brought to or being donated to Malasakit Centers. These centers have no funds. They are just referral centers inside hospitals where there are DOH, PhilHealth, DSWD and PCSO offices that pay the hospital bills of penniless patients. These centers are ready to help those in need.)
‘’Secondly, in this time of crisis, my Senate office continues to fulfill its duty when it comes to representation and constituency services,’’ he stressed.
‘’We act as a bridge to connect the private sector to the right agencies to address their concerns and, at the same time, we also help those asking for assistance by connecting them to the appropriate public or private entities that can respond to their needs,’’ he added.
‘’Dahil sa krisis ngayon, marami pong lumalapit sa amin na private donors na nagpapatulong kung paano sila makakapag-donate ng food packs, PPE, medical equipment, at iba pang donations sa ating front liners, mga ospital o mga komunidad na nangangailangan,’’ he added. (Because of the current crisis, there are many private donors who are asking how they could donate PPE, food packs, medical equipment, and other donations to our front liners, hospitals, and communities.)
‘’Nakakatanggap rin kami ng mga mensahe mula sa mga front liners, mga ospital, at mga komunidad na humihingi naman ng tulong,’’ he said. (We also received messages from our front liners, hospitals, and communities asking for help).
`’Ito ang rason kung bakit pumapagitna kami sa mga humihingi ng tulong at sa mga nais tumulong. We help private donors who approach us in finding the right beneficiaries and vice versa. Kung baga, dagdag na tulong po ito mula sa mga 'Good Samaritans' natin sa pribadong sektor para sa mga kababayan natin na nangangailangan pa ng tulong bukod sa naibibigay ng gobyerno sa kanila,’’ he said. (This is the reason why we act as a bridge between the donors and those asking for help. These 'Good Samaritans' and the government help those in need.)
‘’Lastly, the President has instructed the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), under the Department of National Defense (DND), to take charge in consolidating donations of medical supplies and equipment intended for the national government and the DOH so that these can be efficiently distributed to government health facilities,’’ Go said.
‘’Based on my understanding of the Administrative Order released by the Office of the President, this does not prevent others from donating to any institution directly if they wish to do so. It also states that the OCD simply consolidates all efforts of both government and the private sector to instill order and accountability in handling and distributing donations,’’ he pointed out.
Go emphasized that he has no knowledge of the operation and mandate of the OCD.
He said that his Senate office is not involved in the distribution of government resources.
‘’Senador na ako, at limang taon pa akong magsisilbing senador. Wala akong ambisyong tumakbo kaya huwag nyo na akong isali pa sa usaping politika sa 2022 dahil hindi ako interesado,’’ he said in a statement sent to Senate reporters. (I am already a senator and I still have five more years in the Senate. (I have no political ambitions to run in 2022 and I am not interested.)
Go was special assistant to President Duterte whose six-year term ends in June 2022.
‘’Pakiusap ko lang, huwag na pong haluan ng pulitika ang pagtulong. At huwag po magkalat ng fake news. Hindi po iyan nakakatulong sa sitwasyon natin ngayon,’’ he said. (Please don’t inject politics in our work. You are not helping any.)
‘’Huwag na natin pahirapan pa ang mga tao. Tumulong na lang tayo na pabilisin ang pagbigay ng tulong sa kanila,’’ he said. (Let us not make the life of our countrymen difficult as it is.)
‘’Wala naman po kasing dapat pinipiling oras o kulay ang pagtulong sa kapwa kaya siguraduhin na lang po natin na makarating ito sa pinaka-mahihirap at pinaka-nangangailangan,’’ he added. (Our help to our countrymen has no timeline or color in funneling donations to the poor and the needy.)
He said it pains him that some people have malicious intent by spreading lies.
‘’Sa kasinungalingang kinakalat ninyo, hindi naman po gobyerno ang sinisira ninyo kundi ang kapwa ninyong Pilipino at ang sarili ninyong bayan,’’ he said. (Your lies do not only hurt the government but also your countrymen and your own country.)
‘’In this time of crisis, if you cannot help, just quarantine your mouth!’’ he added.
‘’Huwag na natin sana pairalin ang politika at siraan sa panahon ngayon. Lahat tayo naghihirap at lahat naman tayo gustong malampasan ang krisis na ito. Unahin na lang sana natin na pagserbisyohan ang kapwa nating Pilipino,’’ he said. (Let us not inject politics and muddle the situation. We are all hurting. We want to hurdle this crisis. We should help our countrymen.)
Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go (MALACAÑANG PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
He also reiterated that he has no presidential ambitions as his critics view his presence at natural calamities or fires as politically motivated.
Go was miffed at reports that he is using Malasakit Centers in routing donations to hospitals and health workers.
‘’First of all, Malasakit Centers are simply intended as one-stop shops for poor and indigent patients where relevant government agencies with medical and financial assistance programs are gathered under one roof,’’ he said.
Go is the main author of the Malasakit Centers bill that was signed into law by President Duterte.
‘’Wala pong PPEs (personal protective equipment) o medical equipment na dinadala o pinapamigay sa Malasakit Centers. Wala rin po ditong pondo. Isa lang po itong referral center sa loob ng ospital kung saan nandoon ang PhilHealth, DOH (Department of Health), DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) at PCSO (Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office) na handang tumulong para mabayaran ang hospital bills ng mga pasyenteng walang pambayad,’’ he explained. (There are no PPEs being brought to or being donated to Malasakit Centers. These centers have no funds. They are just referral centers inside hospitals where there are DOH, PhilHealth, DSWD and PCSO offices that pay the hospital bills of penniless patients. These centers are ready to help those in need.)
‘’Secondly, in this time of crisis, my Senate office continues to fulfill its duty when it comes to representation and constituency services,’’ he stressed.
‘’We act as a bridge to connect the private sector to the right agencies to address their concerns and, at the same time, we also help those asking for assistance by connecting them to the appropriate public or private entities that can respond to their needs,’’ he added.
‘’Dahil sa krisis ngayon, marami pong lumalapit sa amin na private donors na nagpapatulong kung paano sila makakapag-donate ng food packs, PPE, medical equipment, at iba pang donations sa ating front liners, mga ospital o mga komunidad na nangangailangan,’’ he added. (Because of the current crisis, there are many private donors who are asking how they could donate PPE, food packs, medical equipment, and other donations to our front liners, hospitals, and communities.)
‘’Nakakatanggap rin kami ng mga mensahe mula sa mga front liners, mga ospital, at mga komunidad na humihingi naman ng tulong,’’ he said. (We also received messages from our front liners, hospitals, and communities asking for help).
`’Ito ang rason kung bakit pumapagitna kami sa mga humihingi ng tulong at sa mga nais tumulong. We help private donors who approach us in finding the right beneficiaries and vice versa. Kung baga, dagdag na tulong po ito mula sa mga 'Good Samaritans' natin sa pribadong sektor para sa mga kababayan natin na nangangailangan pa ng tulong bukod sa naibibigay ng gobyerno sa kanila,’’ he said. (This is the reason why we act as a bridge between the donors and those asking for help. These 'Good Samaritans' and the government help those in need.)
‘’Lastly, the President has instructed the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), under the Department of National Defense (DND), to take charge in consolidating donations of medical supplies and equipment intended for the national government and the DOH so that these can be efficiently distributed to government health facilities,’’ Go said.
‘’Based on my understanding of the Administrative Order released by the Office of the President, this does not prevent others from donating to any institution directly if they wish to do so. It also states that the OCD simply consolidates all efforts of both government and the private sector to instill order and accountability in handling and distributing donations,’’ he pointed out.
Go emphasized that he has no knowledge of the operation and mandate of the OCD.
He said that his Senate office is not involved in the distribution of government resources.
‘’Senador na ako, at limang taon pa akong magsisilbing senador. Wala akong ambisyong tumakbo kaya huwag nyo na akong isali pa sa usaping politika sa 2022 dahil hindi ako interesado,’’ he said in a statement sent to Senate reporters. (I am already a senator and I still have five more years in the Senate. (I have no political ambitions to run in 2022 and I am not interested.)
Go was special assistant to President Duterte whose six-year term ends in June 2022.
‘’Pakiusap ko lang, huwag na pong haluan ng pulitika ang pagtulong. At huwag po magkalat ng fake news. Hindi po iyan nakakatulong sa sitwasyon natin ngayon,’’ he said. (Please don’t inject politics in our work. You are not helping any.)
‘’Huwag na natin pahirapan pa ang mga tao. Tumulong na lang tayo na pabilisin ang pagbigay ng tulong sa kanila,’’ he said. (Let us not make the life of our countrymen difficult as it is.)
‘’Wala naman po kasing dapat pinipiling oras o kulay ang pagtulong sa kapwa kaya siguraduhin na lang po natin na makarating ito sa pinaka-mahihirap at pinaka-nangangailangan,’’ he added. (Our help to our countrymen has no timeline or color in funneling donations to the poor and the needy.)
He said it pains him that some people have malicious intent by spreading lies.
‘’Sa kasinungalingang kinakalat ninyo, hindi naman po gobyerno ang sinisira ninyo kundi ang kapwa ninyong Pilipino at ang sarili ninyong bayan,’’ he said. (Your lies do not only hurt the government but also your countrymen and your own country.)
‘’In this time of crisis, if you cannot help, just quarantine your mouth!’’ he added.
‘’Huwag na natin sana pairalin ang politika at siraan sa panahon ngayon. Lahat tayo naghihirap at lahat naman tayo gustong malampasan ang krisis na ito. Unahin na lang sana natin na pagserbisyohan ang kapwa nating Pilipino,’’ he said. (Let us not inject politics and muddle the situation. We are all hurting. We want to hurdle this crisis. We should help our countrymen.)