PASAY CITY -- As he continues to push for measures to build safer and more resilient communities, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go also continues to respond to the immediate needs of communities affected by natural calamities and other crisis situations to help them recover and build back better.
Just recently, he visited thousands of Taal evacuees in Laurel, Batangas on Tuesday, July 13 to provide them immediate help, listen to their concerns, and offer solutions to their daily struggles.
“Mga kababayan ko, alam kong mahirap ang panahon ngayon. Nandito pa tayo sa gitna ng pandemya, tinamaan pa tayo ng nag-aalborotong Taal. Magtulungan lang po tayo,” Go said during his speech.
Go, together with concerned agencies, conducted the relief operation at the Laurel Municipal Hall for 1,004 beneficiaries who received grocery packs, meals, masks, face shields, and vitamins from the Senator’s team.
Furthermore, new pairs of shoes and bicycles were also given to select recipients. He also provided computer tablets to some beneficiaries to help their children pursue their education amid the ongoing pandemic.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development provided each beneficiary with financial assistance while the Department of Health supplied them with more medicines and vitamins.
The Department of Agriculture, then, handed out various farm inputs and produce. DA has also committed to help livestock owners in evacuating animals to temporary shelters and supply them with animal feeds.
The Department of Trade and Industry conducted an on-site assessment where qualified recipients will be given livelihood support. Additionally, the Jaime Ongpin Foundation gave more grocery packs.
A mother of ten children and a fisher, Martha Endoso shared how the Taal Volcano eruption greatly affected their way of life. Despite the distress that she and her family continue to experience, Endoso further expressed her optimism that they will recover soon.
“Senador Bong Go, ako ay nagpapasalamat sa inyo ng maraming-marami at maraming tao kayong natutulungan dito sa aming lugar. Salamat ng maraming marami sa inyo at sana ho ay huwag kayong makakalimot sa amin,” Endoso said.
“Sa aming mga may pagdadaanan pa ay huwag kayong mananawa na tumulong sa aming lahat. Maliit o malaki ay inyong tinutulungan, kaya maraming maraming salamat sa inyo,” Endoso added.
Continuing his message, Go expressed the vulnerability of the country when it comes to natural disasters as he reiterated the importance of establishing a department for disaster resilience. Senate Bill No. 205 was filed by Go in 2019 and seeks to create the Department of Disaster Resilience that would be primarily responsible for ensuring that local communities are well-adapted, resilient and safe from the impacts of climate change.
Under the proposed measure, the establishment of DDR will unify and streamline all responsibilities related to disaster preparedness and response, functions that are presently scattered across various departments and offices.
The DDR bill was mentioned by President Rodrigo Duterte in his past State of the Nation Address as one of the priority measures of the administration.
“Ako po ay hindi titigil at hindi mawawalan ng pag-asa. Isa po sa na-file ko sa Senado ang Department of Disaster Resilience (bill) kasi kailangan po nating i-scale up po ang preparedness to resilience. So ibig sabihin, hindi lang nakahanda, talagang kaya na natin makatayo muli kapag tinamaan tayo ng bagyo o pagputok ng bulkan o earthquake,” said Go in an interview.
“Ang gusto po mangyari ng departamentong ito bago pa po dumating ang bagyo o ‘yung pagputok ng bulkan, meron na pong secretary-level na makikipag coordinate po sa local governments. Kung meron pong departamentong nakatutok po sa kanila, ito na po ‘yung makikipag-coordinate,” he added.
