Bong Go

Go was born on June 14, 1974, to a Chinese Filipino family.^[5][6] He is the son of Davao-based businessman Desiderio Go^[7] and Batangas-native Marichu Tesoro-Go.^[8] He is a grandson of August Tesoro, who founded one of the largest printing companies in Davao City.^[9]

Go attended La Salle Green Hills during his high school years. He initially took up a management degree in De La Salle University but transferred to and eventually graduated from Ateneo de Davao University with a bachelor's degree in marketing.^[10][11]

 

Since 1998, Go has served as executive assistant and personal aide for then-Davao City 1st district Representative Rodrigo Duterte. He replaced Duterte's aide who died during a basketball game. Duterte was later elected Mayor of Davao City in 2001, Vice Mayor in 2010, and Mayor once again in 2013. Being in charge of both personal and official matters, Go has called himself as Duterte's all around utility man.^[12][13]

During the 2016 election campaign season, Go was often described as the "national photobomber" by the media, for being always in the photos at the side of Duterte in his campaign sorties.^[14] He is one of the key people in Duterte's campaign for presidency. On October 15, 2015, Go filed Duterte's certificate of candidacy on Duterte's behalf at the Comelec office in Manila, for a re-election bid for the Davao City mayoralty post.^[15]

 

On June 2, 2016, then-President-elect Rodrigo Duterte announced the appointment of Go as Special Assistant to the President and is tasked to provide general supervision to the Presidential Management Staff.^[16]

During Go's time as Special Assistant to the President, his alleged involvement in the Philippine Navy's ₱16 billion frigate deal was revealed by online news site Rappler. Pertinent documents that linked Go to the deal, detailing how he had interfered with the process, violating several procurement laws when he endorsed a supplier outside the bidding process were released to the public;^[17] Go denied the allegations, declaring that he would resign if ever he was proven guilty and said that the media and his critics were endangering national security.^[18] Vice Admiral Mercado of the Philippine Navy, who was allegedly sacked for questioning the frigate deal, has cleared Go of any involvement, claiming that Go had never communicated with those who were involved in the deal.^[19] Duterte defended Go, saying that "he owns a yacht, therefore he doesn't need to steal in the frigate deal".^[20] The Malacañang also made their stand clear that Go did not intervene.^[21] A probe by the Senate regarding the deal was made, but did no further clarifications about Go's role on the deal.^[22][23]

During his time as Special Assistant to the President, Go became known for selfies he posted online, saying he values these images as part of his "personal collection".^[24][25]

 

Go made a formal bid for the Senate on October 15, 2018, when he filed his certificate of candidacy accompanied by President Rodrigo Duterte and other members of the president's Cabinet. Go's platform for his Senate bid included pledges to build healthcare and social service facilities called "Malasakit Centers" across the Philippines as well as the repeal of the Juvenile Justice law which sets the minimum age of criminal liability at 15 years old. Doubts about his capability to conduct a nationwide campaign was countered by President Duterte, noting that the Tesoros, Go's mother's family, own one of the largest printing firms in Mindanao.^[26]

Prior to his formal filing of candidacy, Go has been the subject of allegations of premature campaigning.^{[27][28][29][30]} In relief operations after a fire in Manila, relief goods with "Ready Set Go" branding were distributed alongside government relief goods provided by the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Go has repeatedly denied that he was personally involved in the production or distribution of any merchandise, once citing his supporters as producing them without his consent^[31] and on one occasion said that it was done under the President's directive.^[32] Go also urged his supporters to stop "politicizing" their cause by using his name and likeness. Calls for tarpaulins bearing his image to be removed had made the rounds in social media.^[33]

Go received roughly 21 million votes during the May 2019 election and was sworn into office after placing third overall; he officially took his seat in the Senate beginning his term on June 30, 2019. On his first months in office, Go had filed several bills including creating a Department of Disaster Resilience,^[34] the postponement of the 2020 Sangguniang Kabataan elections on the barangay level,^[35] and a bill co-authored with fellow Senator Manny Pacquiao pushing a death penalty back for heinous crimes such as illegal drugs, plunder, rape, and murder.^[36]

 

In 2019, Go authored the Malasakit Center Act, which meant to serve as one-stop for easy access to medical and financial assistance needed to receive health care services;^[37] the bill was later enacted into law by President Duterte.^[38] Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Go proposed the Balik Probinsya program, which meant to decongest the overcrowded Metro Manila once the coronavirus pandemic is put under control;^[39] the program was institutionalized by President Duterte on May 6 via Executive Order No. 114.^[40][41] As early as July 2019, Go called for proposed the creation of a separate department dedicated to overseas Filipino workers;^[42] a law creating the Department of Migrant Workers was signed by President Duterte two years later.^[43] Go was briefly involved in a controversy on July 17, 2020, when a college student was filed a subpoena order by the National Bureau of Investigation after Go complained of the student sharing a post on social media possibly containing fake news which were against the Senator.^[44]

Go advocated for the establishment of the Virology Science and Technology Institute of the Philippines (VIP) and the Philippine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC);^[45] he supported the creation of Super Health Centers around the country to help reduce hospital occupancy rates.^[46] On October 29, 2021, Go led the opening of the country's 146th Malasakit Center at the Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center in Las Piñas City—reaching a milestone for the said program being the 30th in Metro Manila and the first in the city.^[47][48] On September 21, 2021, Republic Act No. 11590, the law which effectively legalized Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) was signed into law by President Duterte. Bong Go voted in favor of the law.^[49]

 

PDP-Laban initially nominated Go to be their presidential candidate, with President Duterte as their candidate for vice president on September 8, 2021.^[50] However, Duterte withdrew from his vice presidential bid, and Go filed a certificate of candidacy for the position of vice president instead on October 2, 2021.^[51] Fellow Senator Ronald dela Rosa then became Go's running mate after dela Rosa unexpectedly^[52] filed his certificate of candidacy on October 8.^[53]

Dela Rosa later withdrew his bid under the directive of PDP-Laban; Go also followed suit withdrawing his bid for the vice presidency on November 13, 2021.^[54] Go then announced that he would be running for president instead, albeit under the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS) party rather than PDP-Laban; he substituted the candidacy of PDDS' Grepor Belgica, father of Greco Belgica.^[55] Go explained that he withdrew his bid to run for vice president to avoid complicating the campaign of Sara Duterte who launched her own vice president bid under Lakas–CMD. Despite officially running for a different party, he vowed to continue to the plans of incumbent President Duterte's administration.^[56]

The faction of PDP–Laban led by Alfonso Cusi allowed Go to run under a different party as a bid to avoid complication since the party was under a leadership dispute. The other faction is led by Manny Pacquiao and Koko Pimentel who disputed the legitimacy of Cusi's faction as representatives of the party. Cusi's side anticipated that there would be legal issues had Go substituted the candidacy of dela Rosa as president if the COMELEC ruled dela Rosa's candidacy as invalid. Cusi's PDP-Laban has adopted and endorsed Go as their presidential candidate for the 2022 election.^[57] The Go campaign had no formal vice president candidate since President Duterte had endorsed his daughter Sara Duterte as Go's vice president.^[58]

On November 30, 2021, Go announced he would be dropping out of the presidential race, saying his heart and mind contradicted his actions and cited his family's opposition to his move to run as president. He formally withdrew from the presidential race on December 14, 2021.^[59][60]

At the start of the 19th Congress in July 2022, Go filed his priority bills seeking to create the Department of Disaster Resilience^[61] and requiring the establishment of evacuation centers in all provinces, cities, and municipalities.^[62] He also filed bills institutionalizing the Department of Trade and Industry's One Town, One Product (OTOP) program to improve innovation among MSMEs;^[63] requiring Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers to be established nationwide; creating the Philippine National Games; providing compensation to Barangay Health Workers; and enacting a "Magna Carta for Barangays".^[64]

In January 2023, Go—together with Senators Ronald dela Rosa, Mark Villar, and Francis Tolentino—filed a bill seeking to provide additional benefits to former Philippine presidents for their performance of "post-presidential duties" which include meetings with foreign and local public officials.^[65]

In July 2024, former Senator and Duterte's staunch critic Antonio Trillanes IV filed plunder charges against Go and former President Duterte, accusing Go of "unduly enriching himself" by allegedly using "his position, authority and influence to corner billions worth of government projects in favor of his father and brother". Trillanes further alleged that Go's father and brother were awarded ₱6.6 billion worth of government contracts. Trillanes based his case on a Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism 2018 report stating that CLTG Builders was awarded ₱4.6 billion government contracts while Alfrego Builders, owned by Go's brother, won ₱1.74 billion worth of projects. Trillanes also accused Go and Duterte of violating Republic Act No. 3019 (The Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) and Republic Act No. 6713 (The Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees).^[66] In August 2024, Trillanes furthermore filed with the DOJ plunder under Republic Act No. 7080 and graft cases against Go, Rodrigo Duterte, and former Philippine Navy chief Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad regarding what Trillanes claimed as the allegedly anomalous ₱16-billion acquisition contract of the Philippines' first two frigates, BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) and BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151), with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries.^[67]

In September 9, 2024, Go changed his position on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), expressing his opposition to it due to its links with Chinese illegal activities. Go and 17 other senators previously supported POGOs by voting in favor of a law signed in September 2021 by President Duterte that imposed additional taxes^[68] on POGOs nationwide.^[69][70]

Go is married to Emmylou Cruz,^[71] with whom he has two children.^[72][73] His eldest son Christian Lawrence became a certified public accountant in 2019, achieving the third place in the October licensure exam.^[74] He is also a nephew of internet personality and pediatrician Richard Mata, as Go's mother is Mata's cousin.^[75]

Beyond politics, Bong Go is also an avid basketball fan. He has participated in amateur leagues and guested in prominent local basketball events in the country. Go usually watches the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He joined the three-point shooting competition of the 2018 PBA All-Star Week. Along with Senators Sonny Angara and Joel Villanueva, Go was featured in a three-point shoot out exhibition during the 2018 FIBA 3x3 World Cup which was hosted in Bocaue, Bulacan.^[76]

Go also joined the roster of the Muntinlupa Cagers in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL). This move was objected by his critics as using the MPBL as a platform for his senatorial bid in 2019. Go defended the move saying he just wanted to promote basketball in the country and acknowledged his old age and the superior height of his opponents.^[77][78] He rarely played appearing in only one season with the team, as his primary focus relies on his Senate job and on assisting Rodrigo Duterte.^[79]

•   Media related to Bong Go at Wikimedia Commons
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