PASAY CITY -- Senator Christopher “Bong” Go’s outreach team visited several towns in La Union on Friday, December 3, to bring relief and hope to the residents who are still trying to recover nearly two months after the Typhoon Maring devastation.

Go’s team provided meals, food packs and masks to a total of 353 typhoon victims at the Aringay and Bagulin municipal halls and Farmers Livelihood Center in Caba. The activities were conducted in batches to ensure that all health and safety protocols against COVID-19 were strictly observed.

In addition, the team gave select recipients bicycles am alternative and convenient mode of transportation amid the pandemic.

Representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development also extended financial assistance under its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program to hasten the recovery of the victims.

In a video message, the senator renewed his appeal for the passage of Senate Bill No. 1228 or the “Mandatory Evacuation Center Act of 2019” to ensure that there are fully equipped and functional evacuation centers in every municipality, city and province where people can take refuge every time the country is beset by natural disasters and other calamities.

"Iba't ibang krisis at sakuna ang hinaharap ng mga Pilipino kada taon. Nadagdagan pa ito ng isang pandemya ngayon. Kung gaano kabilis makasira ng pamumuhay ang mga ‘di inaasahang pangyayaring ito, mas mabilis dapat ang aksyon ng gobyerno upang mapaghandaan at maprotektahan ang buhay at kapakanan ng mga Pilipino," stressed Go.

"Kaya naman kailangan natin magpatayo ng safe, permanent and dedicated evacuation centers na may sapat na emergency packs, katulad ng blankets, tubig, gamot at relief goods. Obligasyon ng gobyerno na palaging maging handa sa oras ng sakuna," he continued.

To ensure that the typhoon victims receive adequate medical attention, Go, who heads the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, offered additional support to those with health concerns.

He also advised them to visit the Malasakit Center at the Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center in San Fernando City where they may receive help to settle their hospital expenses. The program was institutionalized under Republic Act No. 11463, also known as the “Malasakit Centers Act of 2019”, which Go principally authored and sponsored.

Concluding his message, the lawmaker commended and thanked everyone who assisted the typhoon victims including 2nd District Representative Sandra Eriguel, Governor Francisco Ortega III, Vice Governor Mario Ortega, Aringay Mayor Eric Sibuma, Bagulin Mayor Virgilio Flor, Caba Mayor Philip Crispino and Vice Mayor Ronnie Mangaser, and Miss Rafy Ortega-David.

He vowed to continue assisting in the long-term recovery efforts of La Union in his capacity as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance. He has earlier supported the concreting of a local and farm-to-market road in Bagulin; construction of river walls in Bagulin; and construction of a multipurpose center in Caba.

Other major initiatives include the construction and improvement of roads in Burgos, Naguilan, Rosario and San Gabriel; construction of multipurpose centers in San Fernando City; construction of slope protection in Bacnotan; acquisition of multipurpose vehicles and rehabilitation of a multipurpose building in Balaoan; and the acquisition of an ambulance and a multipurpose vehicle in Bangar.

To improve the delivery of vital health services, Go also successfully pushed for the bill that became Republic Act No. 11562, which increased the bed capacity of the Rosario District Hospital. The act was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte last June.

Go’s team mounted similar relief operations for 1,839 typhoon victims, farmers and hog raisers at Bacnotan National High School and Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University-Mid La Union Campus in San Fernando City on Wednesday, December 1. (OSBG)