PASAY CITY -- On Thursday, December 2, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go’s outreach team assisted Typhoon Maring victims in Bangar, La Union, following similar relief efforts they had conducted in the towns of Balaoan and Santol. Amid the natural disasters and other calamities besetting the country, Go continues to call for the creation of the Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR).
Authored and filed by Go in 2019, Senate Bill No. 205 aims to establish a focused department that will ensure a proactive approach to natural disasters. This is one of the priority measures that President Rodrigo Duterte mentioned in his last State of the Nation Address.
Under the proposed measure, DDR will implement a focused, streamlined and more efficient disaster preparedness and response. At present, such functions are scattered across various executive departments.
“Bago dumating ang bagyo, preposition of goods, coordination with LGUs, dapat dalhin ang ating mga kababayan sa mga safe na lugar. At pag-alis ng bagyo, restoration of normalcy agad,” Go said.
“Rehabilitation, para makabalik agad sa normal na pamumuhay ang ating mga kababayan na tinamaan ng bagyo,” he added.
Go’s outreach team conducted the distribution at Bangar Municipal Covered Court under strict compliance with the safety and health protocols.
They divided the 551 typhoon victims into smaller groups and gave them grocery packs, meals and masks. The team also provided new pairs of shoes and bicycles to select recipients.
As the senator commits to support more disadvantaged students nationwide, his team also gave away computer tablets to some of the victims to help their children in their blended learning activities.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development extended financial assistance to help the recipients sustain their daily needs as they try to recover from the calamity.
Continuing his message, Go reached out to those with health concerns and advised them to visit the Malasakit Center located at Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center in San Fernando City.
Go also urged the public for sustained vigilance and cooperation as he reassured that the government continues to expand the vaccine rollout to more remote areas to ensure that the country achieves population protection leading to herd immunity.
“Mga kababayan, disiplina at kooperasyon ang kailangan. Kung hindi kailangan ay 'wag muna lumabas ng pamamahay kung hindi kailangan dahil delikado pa. Ang importante ay ating makamtan ang population protection at herd immunity para hindi na kumalat ang sakit na COVID-19,” he continued.
Go, as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, is also committed to boost the infrastructure development of the province amid the health crisis. In this regard, he extended his support to the acquisition of a truck, an ambulance, and a multipurpose vehicle for the local government of Bangar; construction and improvement of roads in Aringay, Bagulin, Burgos, Naguilan, Rosario and San Gabriel; construction of multipurpose centers in Caba and San Fernando City; construction of slope protection in Bacnotan; and the acquisition of multipurpose vehicles and the rehabilitation of a multipurpose building in Balaoan.
“Mga kababayan ko, magtulungan lang po tayo. Nagpapasalamat kami ni Pangulong Duterte sa suporta ninyo. Hindi namin sasayangin ang oportunidad na ito na makapagserbisyo ng husto sa kapwa naming Pilipino,” Go assured. (OSBG)
