BAGUIO CITY – Rep. Mark Go said that Congress made great strides that would contribute in uplifting the lives of the city’s populace and the Filipino people.
Go, who graced the regular city hall flag raising ceremony, pointed out that last year, beyond maintaining a 100 percent attendance record in Congress, he successfully authored and sponsored several important pieces of legislation that have been enacted into law, bringing meaningful benefits to different members of the society.
Since the last Congress updates early in 2024, Congressman Go highlighted his accomplishments and demonstrated how the said measures directly impact many of the people.
Last year, Republic Act (RA) 11982 was signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. where the said law grants P10,000 cash gift to senior citizens upon turning 80, 85, 90 and 95 years old, in addition to the P100,000 given upon reaching 100 years old. The newly formed National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) will disburse the said cash grants.
The lawmaker claimed that Congress has recognized how inconvenient and unnecessary it can be for seniors to bring purchase booklets to avail of discounts on medicines. To address the same, Go authored House Resolution 2031 in the House that urged the removal of the purchase slip booklet as a requirement for senior citizens buying medicines.
Last December 23, 2024, Go reported that through an Administrative Order by Health Secretary Teodro Herbosa, there is no need for the seniors to bring the purchase booklets when buying medicines to enjoy the 20 percent discount and 12 percent value added tax exemption.
He emphasized that senior citizens simply need to present their valid identification cards and medical prescription in the drug stores for them to purchase their maintenance medicines.
According to him, the aforesaid milestones are rightfully deserved by the senior citizens for their long service and sacrifices made not only for their families but also the city and the entire nation.
As the chairperson of the House committee on higher and technical education, Go sponsored RA 11984 which prohibits the no permit, no exam policy in all private and public education institutions, from basic to higher education that paved the way the families of students to be able to pay the tuition of students prior to the start of the coming schoolyear or given the chance to request for financial assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) without compromising their studies.
He added that many parents and mental health advocates would agree that mental health among the youth is a growing concern but despite the said challenge, it is encouraging to see that the country is starting to recognize the problem and take steps to address it.
Go, along with the Commissioners of the Second Educational Commission and mental health advocates in Congress, authored RA 12080 that institutionalized the comprehensive mental health initiatives for elementary and high school students, fostering awareness and support for their well being. As part of the said initiative, every public school will establish a care center equipped to deliver mental health services, including counselling and monitoring and provide necessary support for learners and staff.
Last January 3, 2025, President Marcos signed two transformative laws benefitting Baguio, RA 12118 and RA 12119 after relentless effort and collaboration in Congress that will pave the way for the city to have its own high school for arts and high school for sports pioneering institutions in the Cordillera.
He asserted that the aforesaid legacy serves as a testament to the talent of the artists and athletes who had represented Baguio in various local, regional, national and international competitions.
“We have worked tirelessly in Congress to craft opportunities and policies that directly benefit our vulnerable sectors, such as seniors and the youth. Ngunit hindi natin nakakalimutan ang napakahalagang kontribusyon at kapakanan ng bawat manggagawang Pilipino na siyang bumubuhay sa ating ekonomiya,” Go stressed.
While both chambers of Congress discussed their versions of the minimum wage bills, Go instructed the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in one of the House committee on labor deliberation to direct the various Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs) nationwide to convene, hear petitions and subsequently increase the minimum daily wage.
As of December 24, 2024, Cordillera saw a P40 increase in the minimum daily wage for private sector workers and a P1,100 increase in the minimum monthly salary for the household workers.
Go is one of the principal authors of RA 12063 or the Enterprise-Based Education and Training Framework Act where the groundbreaking law addresses job-skill mismatches by involving the private sector industries in training design and competency standards.
Moreover, he noted that the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP) bill has been approved by both chambers of Congress and is now awaiting the President’s signature. The law will allow Filipins to earn a college degree by recognizing their prior learning, work experience and skills.
Early last year, Go filed House Resolution 2167 that strongly urged the Social Security System to defer the scheduled increase in contributions for 2025. By HENT