Sen. Bong Go is next ‘best bet’ as VP—Rep. Martinez
A RANKING member of the House of Representatives believes that Sen. Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go, is the next “best alternative” of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) to run as the country’s next vice president should Pres. Duterte retires from politics.
Speaking in the vernacular, House Majority Leader and Valenzuela third district representative, Eric Martinez, said the senator, also known by his initial, ‘SBG’ and as ‘Mr. Malasakit,’ said:
“Kung talagang magreretiro at hindi na kakagatin ng Pangulo ang alok ng PDP-Laban na kanyang partido, si Senador Bong Go ang pinakakuwalipikadong tao na pumalit sa kanya sa pangalawang pinakamataas na posisyon sa bansa” (If Pres. Duterte is serious on retirement and would no longer accept the offer of the party, Sen. Bong Go is the most qualified to replace him as the country’s second highest official).
It can be recalled that several days ago, the PDP-Laban has issued a resolution requesting Pres. Duterte to run for vice president in the coming May 9, 2022 elections.
But in an interview by Pastor Apollo Quiboloy with the chief executive last June 8, 2021, Pres. Duterte expressed his desire to retire from public service.
Under such a scenario, Martinez who is only among the very few original PDP-Laban members who won along with Pres. Duterte during the 2016 elections, expressed his belief the party should be better off supporting SBG for the vice presidential contest.
“Kung hindi si Pangulong Duterte, si Sen. Bong Go ang siyang malakas na maging kandidatong dadalhin ng PDP-Laban sa 2022 bilang vice president dahil siya ang siguradong makatutulong upang maituloy ang mga pagbabagong pinasimulan ng administrasyong ito” (If not Pres. Duterte, Sen. Bong Go is the strongest candidate the party should support because only he can assure the continuation of all the good changes started by the administration), Martinez said.
He added that people are no longer surprised, but also welcomes, SBG’s concern for the Filipinos as shown by his daily activities of reaching out to all sectors of society, especially the victims of calamities and the marginalized.
In doing so, SBG has clearly sent the message that the government is here to help and is concerned about the people’s welfare, Martinez added.
Aside from this, SBG has also initiated the crafting of laws beneficial to most Filipinos, such as the creation of a new government department focused on the welfare and concerns of overseas Filipinos.
As chair of the Senate Committee on Health, SBG also managed to get the Senate’s nod for the expansion of the bed capacity and improvement of health services with appropriate budget, of at least 13 local hospitals, mostly in the provinces.
Go also authored RA 11463, otherwise known as the ‘Malasakit Center Act,’ which was passed in record time just after his election to the Senate in 2019 and which earned him the sobriquet, ‘Mr. Malasakit.’
Under the law, government agencies with existing budgets and programs for health care, such as the DOH, DSWD, PhilHealth and PCSO, are now housed under one roof to hasten the giving of government assistance to the needy.
To date, 118 Malasakit Centers, located in specific hospitals, have already been built and have already benefited more than 2 million Filipinos.
Martinez stressed that SBG has become the “model public servant” who has risked his health and life in helping the public despite the threat of COVID-19. Aside from this, the lawmaker also noted that SBG is among the first in the Senate to always support any measure to ease the burden of those severely affected by the virus.
Martinez expressed confidence that come 2022, the PDP-Laban would choose candidates who are genuinely concerned for Filipinos such as SBG.
In his own press statement, SBG said while he welcomes the outpouring of support for his candidacy for a higher office, he thinks of himself as the “last choice” the PDP-Laban should consider when it fielded its candidates next year.
