TACLOBAN CITY– Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, in coordination with Mayor Lando Villasencio, provided additional assistance to 315 displaced workers in Merida, Leyte on Friday (Sept.22).
The workers attended an occupational safety and health orientation earlier conducted by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
The orientation, which was held at the municipal recreational gymnasium, was aimed to educate workers about the importance of workplace safety and health standards.
During the said event, Go’s team handed out shirts, snacks, and balls for basketball and volleyball to the identified displaced workers.
“Nais ko po na iparating sa inyo ang aking buong suporta at pagmamahal sa panahong ito ng inyong pangangailangan. Alam ko po ang hirap na dinaranas ninyo dahil sa pagkawala ng inyong trabaho, at nais kong malaman ninyo na kami ay nandito para sa inyo sa abot ng aking makakaya,” the senator, said in a video message.
“Sa abot ng aking makakaya, patuloy kaming magsusumikap na magbigay ng tulong at oportunidad para sa inyong kinabukasan. Mahalaga na malaman ninyo na kami ay nagtutulungan kasama ang iba’t ibang ahensya ng gobyerno upang hanapan ng mga paraan kung paano kami makakatulong sa inyo,” Go, an adopted son of Leyte, added.
To ensure that those who reside in rural areas lacking job opportunities are taken care of, Go also filed Senate Bill No. 420 which seeks to offer temporary employment to eligible members of low-income rural households who are ready to perform unskilled physical labor for a period of time.
The senator likewise encouraged those with health concerns to seek the assistance of any of the 159 Malasakit Centers nationwide, five of which are established in the province.
Almost all government-run hospitals in the region have their Malasakit Center. Among these are the New Western Leyte Provincial Hospital in Baybay City, Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVRMC) in Tacloban City, Ormoc District Hospital in Ormoc City, and Leyte Provincial Hospital and Governor Benjamin T. Romualdez General Hospital and Schistosomiasis Center (GBTRGHSC) in Palo.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
Election?
Deciding who we want to lead our localities is the best blessing of our democracy. We enjoy the free exercise of our sacred right to vote for those who deserve the trust and confidence of our people to run the affairs of government. The choice must be based on ideal parameters that would produce officials who possess the qualification, capability, integrity to perform the functions of the office being aspired for. There too is a need to examine the platform or advocacy that a particular candidate is pushing for that would be a good yardstick of what one will do once elected. But all these are mere ideals of bygone days when elections were truly clean and honest in all aspects, including the voter’s respect to his dignity and honor as a sovereign and rationale being.
It is indeed unfortunate that elections are nothing more than commercial transactions with the sacred vote as commodity of the deal. Candidates no longer worry formulating a program of government for voters no longer care asking for the best platform anyway. Even meetings held by candidates during the campaign do not anymore attract the curiosity and interest of the voters. People would attend to listen only if they are given the best consideration for their presence. We can only find a few who voluntarily go to meetings as a manifestation of responsibility. Most do not anymore care to listen and just decide on choices without knowing well the personalities and issues.
Calls to regain our moral bearings had repeatedly been issued by concerned civic, religious and cause oriented groups. Such appeal to resort to conscience and fight every temptation and influence of money, guns and power ought to be heeded by all and sundry. The call is very timely as people appear to have lost its moorings on morality and the independent and free exercise of his sovereign will. We really need to reexamine ourselves and try answering basic questions regarding our moral values that ought to guide us in the exercise of our sacred right to vote.
Unfortunately, we have seen in the recent past how money plays a crucial role in winning elections. Voters had been used to receiving tokens, pennies and small bills from candidates who want their names written in the official ballot. These candidates pretend to be generous givers to the least of their brethren. They try to downplay vote buying as mere acts of kindness and sharing their riches to their constituents who are expectantly waiting for the election money. Those who have the riches have the decided advantage to win over the poor candidates. But upsets are always possible if voters will only decide to defeat the evil influence of money by voting wisely no matter the bribe, else, we will remain asking if the activity to vote is truly an . . . election?
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