MANILA – Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go on Thursday said Malasakit Centers were put up by the Office of the President to serve the public and not for publicity.
This came after critics hit on Malasakit Center health cards given at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) during its launch on Wednesday for bearing photos of himself and President Rodrigo Duterte.
"'Di na isyu 'yan, 'di na namin kailangan ng publicity trabaho lang kami," he said in an interview. "Isyu dito pano tayo makatulong sa kababayan."
The center is a program initiated by the OP to serve as a one-stop shop for the poor, particularly the senior citizens and persons with disability seeking aid on medical bills, as well as free medicines and health services.
During its launch at the PGH, Go announced that the office allocated a PHP100-million replenishable fund for the program.
He added that the Malasakit Center was in coordination with the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, the Department of Health, PhilHealth, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Go was keynote speaker at the 14th Annual Convention of the Philippine College of Addiction Medicine (PCAM).
In his speech, he recognized the doctors present for their commitment in rehabilitating drug users.
"Ang mga doktor na ito, isa po sila sa tumutulong sa mga rehabilitation centers para mapagamot ang mga kababayan natin na nalulong sa droga (These doctors, they are the ones who are helping us in the rehabilitation centers to treat those who are into illegal drugs)," he said.
On the government side, the administration is implementing various programs to address the drug problem, he noted.
"(May) iba't iba tayong programa para matugunan ang problemang ito, mayroon tayong sports program and then meron tayong rehabilitation centers. Libre naman ito sa gobyerno (We have various program to address this problem. We have sports program and we have rehabilitation centers which are free of charge)," he said.
Go reiterated that he has never been involved in corruption in response to the recently filed resolution of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV to look into his supposed involvement in the multi-billion peso worth of projects awarded to his family.
Go added that he has never influenced anybody in the government to give preference to his family's business.
The official said he even prohibited his family and relatives from doing business inside the Davao City Hall when he was still serving there.
"Ako naman, for 15 years na (nagsilbi) ako sa City Hall, I observed delicadeza, pinagbawal ko pumasok 'yong mga kamaganak ko sa negosyo sa city hall kasi under sa amin 'yon (I served at the city hall for 15 years and I observed delicadeza. I prohibited my relatives to do business with City Hall because it's under us)," he said.
"Ito, sa national, 'di naman natin puwedeng ipagkait 'yong mga negosyo, may mga kamaganak po tayong nagnenegosyo, ang importante po doon walang kuropsyon; pangalawa, 'di ako nakialam; pangatlo, wala akong pinakialaman, wala akong tinawagan, I never influenced anybody from DPWH [ Department of Public Works and Highways] (Here in the national government, I could not prevent them from doing business. What is important is that first, there is no corruption; second, I don't interfere; and third, I don't call anybody from the DPWH)."
He dared Trillanes to prove his involvement and he will resign from his post immediately. (PNA)
