Filipinos in Hong Kong are elated by the senatorial bid of Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go in the 2019 mid-term elections.
Loud cheers met Go as he was introduced by President Rodrigo R. Duterte during a reception from the Filipino community in the colony on April 12.
Duterte visited Hong Kong after his participation at the 3-day Boao Forum for Asia in Hainan, China.
With Duterte was his entourage including long-time aide SAP Go, who has been urged to run for senator by no less than his boss.
“Our favorite senator Bong Go,” Duterte said as he introduced Go during the meeting with about 2,500 Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in event in Kowloon.
Go’s name drew the loudest applause, boosting the clamor for him to run as one of the administration’s senatorial bets in the 2019 mid-term elections.
When the Senate summoned Go to explain his alleged intervention in the PHP18-billion Navy frigate project two months ago, Duterte found it an opportunity for Go not only to prove his innocence, but to try his “ticket” in the world of politics.
CROWD-DRAWER. President Rodrigo R. Duterte and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio are swarmed by supporters during the President’s meeting with the Filipino community at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal in Hong Kong on April 12, 2018. (Arcel Valderrama/Presidential Photo)
“I told him, first he was about unsettling. I said, ‘Bong, this is gonna be your ticket to being senator.’I’ve been into politics for so long. Once you harass a person and that person is really very good in the eyes of the public perception, you’re just making him hero,” the President said.
Duterte described Go as very shy and a humble person, traits that would catapult his top assistant to the Senate.
“Without campaigning, he became senator Bong Go. He is now already being called senator. He has a lot of fans now,” he said.
“You know, even (if) it would be realized or not, life is really very funny. Of course, the presidency, it’s a God-given gift. My presidency is (a) God-given gift. It really came from God,” he added.
Just like him, Duterte said Go if of Chinese descent with both of them tracing their roots to their Chinese grandfathers.
“If the people of Hong Kong will vote, he will surely win,” the President said in jest.
Before joining Duterte’s entourage, Go held a separate meeting with members of the Filipino community in Hong Kong.
In his speech, Go called on OFWs to support the programs of the Duterte administration.
“I ask all of you to help the President and the government as we implement our agenda to fight illegal drugs, crime and corruption and bring about meaningful and lasting transformation on our society,” Go said in a gathering of more than 200 Filipinos.
He said the government is always prepared to assist Filipinos working abroad.
The gathering was organized by Myrna Padilla, founder of the Mindanao Hong Kong Workers Federation, including other supporters of Duterte and Go.
The supporters have encouraged Go to run for senator in next year’s mid-term elections.
Despite the growing clamor for him to run for senator, Go remains noncommittal whether to throw his hat into the political arena.
Aside from Go, the names of Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque and his political adviser Francis Tolentino have also been mentioned by the President as possible senatorial wannabes.
All of them received cheers from the receptive crowd but Go got the loudest applause.
A group of car enthusiasts has joined the clamor for Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go to run for a Senate seat next year.
The Mustang Enthusiasts Philippines on Sunday expressed its support for the top presidential aide’s sports advocacy, the “3-Pointer ng Bayan” program, during the final day of the 2018 Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) at the World Trade Center (WTC) in Pasay City.
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar, who was invited to grace the event, said the car enthusiast organization’s support is a “welcome development” to the growing clamor for President Rodrigo Duterte’s closest aide to join the 2019 mid-term elections.
“Ang adbokasiya ni SAP Bong ay nasa sports talaga kaya nga ‘Go Sports’, hindi ba, three point agenda. Three point agenda din ang master of car, itong mga sports cars na ito sapagkat alam naman natin na ang traffic light mayroong tatlong ilaw: isang dilaw; isang green at; isang red. (SAP Bong’s advocacy is really in sports, that’s why ‘Go Sports,’ three point agenda. Three point agenda is also the master of car, because we know that traffic light has three lights: one yellow; a green and; a red,” Andanar said.
“Maraming salamat po at salamat sa pag-cover sa atin pong Mustang of the Philippines, sa mga kasama natin dito na nagpakita ng kanilang suporta kay SAP Bong Go,” the veteran broadcaster added.
The “3-Pointer ng Bayan” is a nationwide search for the best three-point shooter, which aims to promote sports activities as a campaign against the three problems of corruption, criminality and illegal drugs.
The President’s most-trusted aide has been considered as a possible senatorial candidate in the 2019 midterm elections by the ruling political party, PDP-Laban. (PNA)
It is “Ready Set Go” for Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, who has been included in President Rodrigo Duterte’s ruling party slate as a candidate for the Senate in the 2019 mid-term elections.
Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan (PDP Laban) secretary-general and House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Tuesday bared the ruling party’s line-up of senatorial candidates for the mid-term elections.
Alvarez made the announcement during the mass oath-taking of new PDP-Laban members in Caloocan City.
He said included in the PDP Laban senatorial slate are Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Presidential Political Adviser Francis Tolentino, Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, Davao Rep. Karlo Nograles, Maguindanao Rep. Zajid “Dong” Mangudadatu, and Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman.
In a separate press conference at the House of Representatives, Alvarez clarified that Presidential Communications Assistant Secretary Margaux ‘Mocha’ Uson and Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Benitez are still part of the ruling party’s senatorial slate although he was not able to announce their names at the oath-taking event.
Alvarez said the shift to federalism would be the main advocacy of the ruling party’s senatorial slate.
The Commission on Elections earlier announced that the filing of the certificates of candidacy for the 2019 midterm elections will start in October 2018. (PNA)
President Rodrigo R. Duterte will fully support Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go “to the hilt” if he decides to join the senatorial race in the 2019 midterm elections, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said on Wednesday.
Andanar made the statement during the launch of a movement dubbed as “Ready, Set, Go,” to persuade Go to run for senator held at Illustrado Restaurant in Intramuros, Manila.
“Ito po ang sinabi ni presidente (This was what the President said) and I quote verbatim: ‘I will support Bong Go to the hilt’,” Andanar said.
Through a phone patch presented before the audience during the event, Go said it is too early to discuss if he is running for a senatorial post in 2019, noting that he would just continue focusing on his work as the President’s aide and serving the people.
BONG GO ON SENATE BID
“I am humbled by the endorsement of our beloved City Mayor Inday Sara. The Dutertes, the Father, the Daughter, are my inspiration and example of being a true public servant. Kahit maaga pa po pag-usapan ang politika, ni ‘di ko pa naisip ang tumakbo; ngunit sa mga salitang binitawan ng ating mahal na Mayora Inday Sara, ngayon pa lang nakakataba na ng puso at nakakawala ng pagod kahit na 24 oras akong magtrabaho. Si Mayor Rody po ang nagbigay ng lakas ng loob po sa akin na ipagpatuloy ang paninilbihan sa bansang Pilipinas. Pangako ko po sa Pamilyang Duterte na pagsisilbihan ko po ang kanilang ama habambuhay kahit saan man po kami pulutin balang araw, dahil malaki po ang utang na loob ko sa Pamilyang Duterte. Kahit saan man ako dalhin ng aking kapalaran, sasamahan ko si Pangulong Duterte hanggang kamatayan. Si Mayor Sara naman po, nakikita ko rin sa kanya ang isang Pangulong Rody Duterte sa kanyang pagseserbisyo ng buong puso. “
“Masyadong maaga pa po para mapag-usapan ang pulitika at sana po ay naiintindihan niyo ako. Marami pa po akong tungkulin at trabahong dapat gawin para kay Pangulo at sa mga kapatid nating mga Pilipino (It is too early to talk politics and I hope you understand. I have a lot of work to do and the job I do for the President and for our Filipino brethren),” Go said.
“Hindi naman po ako politiko at kung sakali po ay unang beses ko po itong sasabak. Pero ang pwede ko lang pong ipagmalaki ay ang 20 taon kong karanasan sa pagserbisyo sa aking kapwa at katungkulan sa aking pangulo, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte (I’m not a politician and, if ever, this will be the first time I’ll enter politics. But what I can always be proud of is my 20 year-experience in serving our fellow Filipinos and my duty to our president, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte),” he added.
Go pledged to serve Duterte all his life wherever he may be.
“Hindi ko po iiwan ang pangulo natin sasamahan ko po siya habang buhay. Wala siyang ibang hangarin kundi para sa tunay na pagbabago (I will never leave our President; I will be with him for the rest of my life. He has no other dream but to effect genuine change),” Go said.
Go appealed to his supporters to give him more time to decide on the matter.
“Trabaho muna tayo. ‘Wag muna nating pag-usapan yung pulitika. Bigyan niyo lang po ako ng konting panahon (Let’s first work. Let’s not talk about politics. Please just give me more time),” he said.
Go, in jest, said that if he wins in the next elections, the acronym SAP would have another meaning like “Senator of the Philippines” and the “Senator and Assistant of the President.”
Go said if he, however, fails to win the senatorial bid he could still be called the “Super Assistant of the People.”
The movement was attended by Cabinet members including National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello, Foreign Affairs Secretary Allan Cayetano, and Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez.
Also present were congressmen Jericho Nograles, Ancieto Bertiz, Luis Raymund Villafuerte; PDP Laban members, and non-government organizations. (PNA)
GOTO DAVAO - LIFE IS HERE 