Go hands P30 M government

aid to Cogon market rebuild

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, July 16, (PIA)—“I have asked God to make me a senator, now I have nothing to ask. All I want to do is to return the favor,” Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go told vendor victims of the fire in the afternoon of July 10 that razed part of the vegetable section of the Cogon Public Market.

Go, who is the first senator who came back to thank Boholanos for their thunderous support for his candidacy, came in to personally deliver the national government‘s financial assistance of P30 million for the reconstruction of a new structure in place of the one that the fire ate up in a little over an hour.  

City Market Administrator Perdinio Besa Jr., said the fire gutted down 125 stalls rented by 88 individuals.

He also said that about 142 individuals claimed to be fire victims, but the city has to count only the stalls which were currently occupied, and did not consider in the count the stalls which were rented but did not have any display.

Go, who flew in on a two fire aftermath visits, gave out his customary Sapatos ni Bong to two fire victims, and was to give a little cash aid as well as food for the victims gathered in makeshift tents at the fire site.

Tagbilaran City Mayor John Geesnell Yap, who also came with his City Councilors Tim Butalid, Jonas Cacho, Adam Relson Jala, Joseph Bompat and ABC President Bebot Budlong, and several Punong barangays, also promised to give financial assistance to the fire victims.

Mayor Yap, who introduced the senator as Kuya Bong, also informed the senator that the city, during its Charter day last July 1, declared Senator Go as an adopted son of Tagbilaran.

Senator Go won as number 1 senator in Tagbilaran, while he got the third spot in Bohol.

His coming to Bohol as partly to thank Boholanos for the support and because his vice is service.

“Ang akong bisyo, serbisyo, “Go stressed, as he added, “like the vices of these your elected officials.”

Yap, on his third term as City Mayor, along with City Officials, handed to Go the Plaque of Adoption, which the senator dutifully accepted in fitting ceremonies.

The young city executive officer also promised P5,000.00 as financial assistance to the fire victims, to the appreciation of the victims gathered even during the rainy morning.

For his part, Bohol Governor Arthur Yap, who pointed out that Go is the first senator to go back to Bohol after the campaign, said fire victims are still lucky, (even with the conflagration) because there is hope, that they are alive and safe.

He also announced that the Provincial Government is giving out financial assistance of P5,000, which they will release together with the assistance promised by the City mayor.

Bohol Social Welfare and Development Team leader Rhea Marie Tubongbanua also come to distribute the government relief goods through the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Each box or relief consists of 6 kilos of rice, 4 cans of sardines, 4 cans of corned beef and 6 sachets of coffee, she said.   

Meanwhile, Go, who came in with actors Phillip Salvador and Robin Padilla, also called on government agencies to pool in their resources to help the fire victims regain their lost incomes due to the fire.

Aside from the national government’s aid of P30 million, Go also brought in bags of groceries, cash assistance and promised more help in the future. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

GO UP. Senator Bong Go raises the plaque which Tagbilaran City Officials handed him after the city council officially adopted the Mindanaoan as an adopted son of Tagbilaran, during his visit to hand the government’s P3M assistance to rebuild the fire razed Cogon market this week. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol) 

SAPATOS NI BONG. Senator Bong Go handed out rubber sports shoes to two fire victims even as he also brought government financial aid, groceries and food during the gathering. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)