Bong Go congratulates fellow Mindanaoans for inauguration of Panguil Bay Bridge
September 29, 2024
Bong Go congratulates fellow Mindanaoans for inauguration of Panguil Bay Bridge
Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, vice chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, lauded the inauguration of the Panguil Bay Bridge, connecting Misamis Occidental via Tangub City and Lanao del Norte via Tubod.
Spanning 3.17 kilometers that crosses Panguil Bay, the bridge is now dubbed as the longest sea-crossing bridge in Mindanao. Travel now is reduced to mere seven (7) minutes, instead of the previous two to two-and-a-half trip either on board the roll-on, roll-off (RORO) vessel or via the 100-kilometer long Panguil Bay Road.
"Bilang isang Mindanawan, masaya ako dahil malaking kontribusyon ito sa mas lalong pagpapalago ng ekonomiya ng mga magkakatabing probinsya---from Northen Mindanao all the way to the upper part of the Zamboanga Peninsula," Go said.
"Ang pag-apruba, pagpondo, at pagpapatayo nito noon hanggang sa pagbubukas nito ngayon ay inabot rin ng ilang taon at dumaan sa ilang administrasyon na nagsikap na maisakatuparan ang ilang dekadang pangarap ng mga kababayan natin sa Mindanao," Go further said.
The project was officially opened by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. last September 27, 2024. He was joined by the South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines, Lee Sang-Hwa, and Philippine officials.
The project was approved by the National Economic Development Authority in 2015. During the final months of the Aquino administration, a loan agreement for the project's funding was inked between the government of the Philippines and South Korea's Korean Export Import Bank.
During the administration of then President Rodrigo Duterte, recognizing the local people's clamor and to accelerate economic growth through improved infrastructures, the Panguil Bay Bridge Project was made as one of the flagship projects under the Build, Build, Build program. On November 28, 2018, Duterte led the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction in Tubod town. It was initially targeted to be completed in November 2021 but the COVID-19 pandemic largely delayed its construction.
As an ex-officio member, representing the Senate, of the Board of Directors of the Mindanao Development Authority, Go has consistently supported various development projects and initiatives benefitting Mindanao.
These include various projects under the Build, Build, Build program of the Duterte administration as well as the construction of the Center for the Advancement of Research in the University of the Philippines Mindanao; multipurpose buildings, sports complex and centers, parks, public markets, public terminals in various local government units; construction of the National Commission of Senior Citizens building in General Santos City, Balay Dangupan and Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office building in Davao City, the Cooperative Development Authority building, DOJ National Prosecution Office Regional Office building, both in Marawi City, among others.
In Lanao del Norte, Go supported the funding of various projects, such as new tourism plaza in Baroy town; installation of solar-powered street lights in Baroy, Lala, and Kapatagan; farm-to-market roads in Bacolod, Lala and Magsaysay; bypass and diversion roads in Iligan City and Munai; flood control and drainage structures in Iligan; and multi-purpose buildings in Baroy, Pantao Ragat and Salvador;
As the chair of the Senate Committee on Health, he principally sponsored and was one of the authors of Republic Act No. 11959, also known as the Regional Specialty Centers. Various hospitals in Mindanao were already identified to host these centers offering specialized medical interventions, such as Zamboanga City Medical Center, Northern Mindanao Medical Center, Mayor Hilarion A. Ramiro Sr. Medical Center, Southern Philippines Medical Center, Davao Regional Medical Center, Cotabato Regional and Medical Center, Caraga Regional Hospital, Adela Serra Ty Memorial Medical Center and Amai Pakpak Medical Center.
Earlier, Go, also known as the Father of the Malasakit Centers Program, was the principal author and sponsor of Republic Act No. 11463, signed by then President Duterte in 2019, institutionalizing the program Go initiated. As of this writing, a total of 166 Malasakit Centers had been established nationwide, including 43 in Mindanao---with nine each for both Northern Mindanao and Zamboanga Peninsula regions.
Tangub City itself hosts one inside the Doña Maria D. Tan Memorial Hospital while another Malasakit Center was earlier established at the Mayor Hilario A. Ramiro Sr. Medical Center in Ozamiz City, both in Misamis Occidental.
Lanao del Norte has its own Malasakit Centers operating inside the Gregorio T. Lluch Memorial Hospital in Iligan City and another one at the Kapatagan Provincial Hospital in Kapatagan town.
According to the Department of Health, approximately 12 million poor and financially incapacitated Filipinos have already benefited from the Malasakit Centers program.
"As your senator, patuloy po akong tutulong sa ating mga kababayan. Not only sa Mindanao, kundi sa buong Pilipinas. Yung mga programang makakatulong po sa mga mahihirap," Go also remarked.
"I am committed to being your voice in the Senate, tirelessly advocating for the interests and aspirations of every Mindanaoan", he finally said.
Go also ended his message by assuring that he will continuously advocate for the welfare and development of Mindanao saying, "Patuloy akong magseserbisyo sa inyo dahil bisyo ko ang magserbisyo at ako ay naniniwala na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo 'yan sa Panginoon, serbisyo 'yan kay Allah."
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
