Senator Bong Go once again reminded Filipinos to be vigilant against scammers who maliciously use his name or the Malasakit Center program to prey on unsuspecting victims, particularly through fake social media accounts and pages.
This comes after Go’s office took swift action on a report from a grieving family in Calumpit, Bulacan, who fell victim to a scam while mourning a deceased loved one. The perpetrators allegedly contacted them claiming to represent the seasoned lawmaker, asking for personal information and eventually even a One-Time PIN (OTP) for a mobile cash transaction.
The senator, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health and Demography and is principal author and sponsor of Republic Act No. 11463, or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, expressed outrage over the incident and stressed that such malicious acts prey on the vulnerabilities of people in their times of need.
“May mga kababayan tayong hirap na nga sa buhay, pinagsasamantalahan pa sa oras ng kanilang pagdadalamhati.”
“May mga kababayan tayong hirap na nga sa buhay, pinagsasamantalahan pa sa oras ng kanilang pagdadalamhati,” he said.
“Huwag po tayong basta-basta magtiwala sa mga link na pinapadala online, lalo na kung humihingi ng OTP o personal na impormasyon. Ingat po tayo. Maging aware na hindi dapat basta-basta ipamigay ang mga personal information kahit sinuman ang humingi. Maging mapanuri tayo kahit sa panahong hirap na po tayo,” Go stressed.
He reiterated that legitimate assistance from government, including aid coursed through the Malasakit Centers program, is never processed through personal social media accounts or by requesting sensitive information such as OTP codes.
“Kung may alinlangan kayo, makipag-ugnayan po kayo sa awtoridad para makasiguro.”
“Kung may nangangako po sa inyo ng tulong kapalit ng inyong personal na detalye, siguradong scam po ‘yan,” Go warned. “Kung may alinlangan kayo, makipag-ugnayan po kayo sa awtoridad para makasiguro.”
He also called on authorities to strengthen efforts to track down and prosecute online scammers who take advantage of vulnerable Filipinos.
Go reminded the public that the Malasakit Centers were established to facilitate easier access to medical and financial assistance for indigent patients, eliminating the need for intermediaries. There are now 167 Malasakit Centers nationwide, which have already helped more than 17 million Filipinos.
“Pera ito ng taumbayan, ibinabalik lang natin sa mas mabilis at epektibong paraan pagdating sa serbisyong pangkalusugan,” he concluded.
