Bong Go seeks to solve housing woes in Marawi, asks Lanao del Sur officials to fight corruption

Speaking at the 60th foundation anniversary celebration of Lanao del Sur, Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go assured on Thursday morning to help solve the housing problems of war-torn Marawi, the capital city of the province, and asked local officials to help the national government in fighting corruption.

"Tuloy-tuloy po ang rehabilitasyon natin sa Marawi," Go said at the Capitol Complex. He added in an interview after the program that he might chair the Senate committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement.

"Kung ibibigay sa akin ang committee on housing, isa po sa ating mga priority ang matulungan ang Marawi," Go said. "Gagamitin po natin ang pondo para sa Marawi nang tama. Walang maaaksaya ni piso."

He also mentioned that among the 10 bills that he filed on Tuesday would become the National Housing, Production and Financing Act if approved into law.

The bill entitled "National Housing Development, Production and Financing (NHDPF) Act" aims to institutionalize a program to address the housing needs of Filipinos by generating and mobilizing sustainable funds for housing, and encouraging public and private sector participation in the said program.

"Dapat sa susunod na mga taon, wala nang squatter sa sariling bayan. This measure aims to address the 6.5-M housing gap over the period of 20 years," he uttered.

Go also administered the oath of the newly elected officials of Lanao del Sur, Marawi City and the 39 municipalities of the province, and he asked the officials to help President Rodrigo Duterte end corruption in the government.

"Nakita ko po sa Pangulo na for the past three years exasperated na po siya labanan ang korapsyon sa gobyerno," Go said. "Tulungan po natin si Pangulong Duterte. Yan lang po ang aking pakiusap (na gawin natin) in the next three years."

The senator added that the president spares no one in his fight against corruption. "Halos linggo-linggo may sinisipa siya, kahit na mga tumulong sa kanya noong kampanya."

For his part, Go said one of the bills that he has filed seeks to impose death penalty for certain heinous crimes involving illegal drugs and plunder.

The bill entitled, "An Act reinstating the death penalty for certain heinous crimes involving dangerous drugs and plunder," seeks to effectively promote peace and order in the country and support the program of the administration and President Rodrigo Roa Duterte against illegal drugs, criminality and corruption, especially in the government.

"Part po ito ng patuloy na kampanya namin ni Pangulong Duterte na labanan ang droga at korapsyon sa gobyerno," Go said in an ambush interview right after he passed his priority bills at the Senate.

The bill described corruption as "an equally deplorable evil that has kept the least fortunate of our countrymen from enjoying the steady economic progress we have achieved over the last few years." It also stressed how the administration has displayed its strong stance against the public officials and officers caught in the said act by imposing dismissal, prosecution and incarceration.

He added in the interview that the president always reminds colleagues not to steal from the people. "Ipinagbibilin sa akin ni Pangulong Duterte: Unahin mo ang interes ng mga Pilipino. Unahin mo ang interes ng bayan."