Go seeks protection of workers

Sen. Bong Go

SEN. Bong Go pressed for the protection of marginalized workers, especially those in rural areas who need more economic opportunities.

The senator promoted the well-being of workers as he extended aid to 500 displaced workers in Bacolod City on May 2. His team distributed shirts and balls for basketball and volleyball to the beneficiaries.

“Let us continue to help each other to further improve the welfare of our disadvantaged at displaced workers,” Go said in a video message in Filipino.

“We are together in this goal to form a stronger society for all Filipinos,” he said.

Go filed Senate Bill 420 to provide short-term job opportunities for eligible individuals hailing from underprivileged households in rural regions.

SB 420 aims to complement the Rural Employment Assistance Program (REAP) which would be instituted under the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE).

If passed into law, Go said REAP would offer temporary employment opportunities to individuals who would “qualify as economically disadvantaged, impoverished, displaced, or seasonal workers.”

The beneficiaries will also qualify for livelihood support from the DoLE after they have completed its Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers program.

The chairman of the Committee on Health and Demography also urged individuals facing health isues to go to Malasakit Centers.

He said that the Malasakit Center program, his “brainchild,” aimed to streamline access to the government’s medical assistance programs for poor patients.

Go authored and sponsored Republic Act11463, or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program.

There are now 164 Malasakit Centers nationwide.