SENATOR Christopher ‘Bong’ Go joined the nation in honoring teachers on Teachers’ Day, emphasizing their pivotal role in shaping the nation’s future.

“Kayo po ang isa sa mga hero po ng pandemya. Noong panahon ng pandemya, panahon po iyon na nag-a-adjust po kayo sa distance learning hanggang pabalik sa face-to-face learning,” Go said at the celebration of Teachers’ Day at the Ynares Sports Complex in Antipolo City, Rizal

“Napakalaki po ng challenges na pinagdaanan n’yo. Palakpakan po natin ang ating mga guro. Hindi po natin mararating ito kung hindi po dahil rin po sa inyong sakripisyo,” he added.

Go provided gift packs to 5,902 educators and non-teaching staff. He also gave shirts, bicycles, mobile phones, shoes, and balls for basketball and volleyball to select recipients.

“Hindi biro maging isang guro. Dapat talaga mahaba ang iyong pasensya sa pagtuturo. At hindi po natin mararating ito, itong kinatatayuan natin ngayon. Ako mismo hindi po ako magiging senador kung hindi po dahil sa ating mga guro,” he said.

Go co-authored and co-sponsored Senate Bill 1964, also known as the Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act, which seeks to establish a system for providing teaching allowances to public school teachers.

The measure was approved on third and final reading last May.

In 2019, Go also authored and co-sponsored RA 11466, otherwise known as the Salary Standardization Law 5, which gives civilian government employees, including public school teachers, another round of salary increases broken down in tranches.