MANILA — Drawing inspiration from his community visits in behalf of President Rodrigo Duterte, Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go is set to launch his own shoe-donation program — this time with a broader reach.
In the past few weeks, Go had been visiting communities who lost their homes due to fire. During small programs where the Office of the President would provide relief assistance to families, the president’s top aide had developed a “tradition” where he would exchange his shoes with someone’s slippers.
He said his several village visits made him realize to plan a program with a wider reach, where not only a single individual will be given a pair of shoes.
“Napansin ko kasi na sa lahat ng nasunugan, lahat ng gamit, lalo na yung sapatos naiiwan nila,” he said. “Puwera pa roon sa mga estudyanteng nasunugan, alam ko po maraming estudyante pa na walang sapatos. Kanina may lumapit sa akin, yung tatay daw niya walang sapatos na pang-pasok sa trabaho.”
“Soon po magla-launch ako ng ‘Sapatos ni Sap, Tsinelas ang ka-swap,” he added. The idea first came to him during his visit to fire victims at Old Balara, Quezon City.
In an interview, he said the initiative’s course is also to encourage everyone with extra pairs of shoes to donate in drop boxes where he plans to put in public places such as malls.
Go did not disclose the dates yet as to when the program will be launched.
“Soon po, ipina-fine tune lang paano yung pag-collect kasi importante yung paano mo ire-retrieve ‘yung mga sapatos, kung saan nila ihuhulog,” he said.
“Maglalagay po ako ng dropboxes all over the country, may kinausap na po akong mall, doon nila ihuhulog, I’m sure marami pang kumpanya na ang mga empleyado gustong mag-donate, mangonglekta kami at ipamimigay.” (Joyce Ann L. Rocamora/PNA)
