PASAY CITY -- Senator Christopher “Bong” Go sent his team for another batch of relief efforts for the storm surge victims in Iloilo City on Saturday, July 31, as he continues to advocate for better disaster resiliency measures in the country.
Following their outreach program for victims in neighboring Oton town, Go’s team organized a distribution activity at the Department of Social Welfare and Development Office in Iloilo City for 221 families who were grouped into smaller batches and followed necessary health protocols for their safety against COVID-19.
Go expressed his concern for affected families through his video message as he reassured them that he will continue to push for the enactment of Senate Bill No. 205, otherwise known as the Department of Disaster Resilience Act, which seeks to create a highly specialized agency with a clear unity of command and tasked with ensuring adaptive, disaster-resilient and safe communities.
The creation of the said department shall concentrate on three key result areas, namely: disaster risk reduction, disaster preparedness and response, and recovery and building forward better.
“Ito pong departamentong ito, cabinet secretary level. Mayro’n pong mag-aasikaso at makikipag-coordinate with LGUs. Bago pa dumating ang bagyo, naka-preposition na po ang goods, ilikas po ang ating mga kababayan sa mas ligtas na lugar, at pag-alis po ng bagyo ay restoration of normalcy kaagad, ” said Go.
The proposed measure has been reiterated by President Rodrigo Duterte during his recent State of the Nation Address as one of the priority legislative agenda of the administration.
Meanwhile, the Senator’s team handed out relief items to the victims, such as grocery packs, meals, masks, face shields, and vitamins. There were also some recipients of new pairs of shoes and bicycles.
As he continued to support measures to improve access to quality education, Go gave selected recipients computer tablets for their children’s educational use.
Furthermore, the DSWD granted the beneficiaries with financial assistance while the Department of Trade and Industry assessed some of them for their Pangkabuhayan sa Pagbangon at Ginhawa program.
The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority offered scholarship programs or special trainings for eligible individuals. Lastly, the National Housing Authority committed to provide housing assistance to potential beneficiaries.
The Senator also reminded the families to participate in the national vaccination program once eligible to ensure the country’s eventual return to normalcy. He, then, reassured that the government is doing great efforts to make sure that vaccines are delivered immediately to local government units, especially those located in critical areas.
Go also appealed to the local officials to inoculate residents once vaccines are dispatched. On top of that, Go requested local leaders to closely assist elderly residents and perform the vaccination in their own homes, if possible.
“Mas maigi na pong matapos natin itong pandemyang ito at tuluy-tuloy po sana ang pagbabalik natin sa ating normal na pamumuhay,” Go reminded.
“Kaya nakikiusap po kami sa inyo, please lang po, disiplina po ang kailangan at kooperasyon ng bawat isa,” he added.
In line with his priorities to look after the health and well-being of the Filipinos, Go also mentioned in his message that there are two Malasakit Centers in the province that the beneficiaries may visit if they may need to seek medical assistance. The nearest is at the Western Visayas Medical Center located in the city, and the other is at Don Jose Monfort Medical Center Extension Hospital in Barotac Nuevo.
