PASAY CITY -- Senator Christopher “Bong” Go raised anew the need for the enactment of Senate Bill No. 205, also known as the Disaster Resilience Act of 2019, which he filed to seek the creation of the Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR) as he assisted Typhoon Agaton victims in Abuyog, Leyte on Tuesday, April 26.
In his message to the victims, Go said that the establishment of the DDR will ensure a proactive approach to natural disasters. Because the country’s geographical location exposes it to extreme weather disturbances, the senator stressed that the government must pay utmost attention to its immediate response.
“Nag-file po ako sa Senado ng Department of Disaster Resilience (bill), departamentong Cabinet-secretary level, para bago pa dumating ang bagyo, mayroon ng coordination with local government units at makapaghanda ng pagkain. Kapag mayroong bagyo, makakapag-evacuate kaagad. Bago pa dumating ang bagyo, dapat madala kaagad sila sa mga evacuation centers para walang masaktan,” said Go.
“At kapag lumabas na ang bagyo, rehabilitation at recovery efforts naman. Returning back to normalcy kaagad ang layunin natin. More responsive services from relief to rebuilding operations ang ating layunin, less damages and casualties and faster recovery, kaya ko i-finile itong Department of Disaster Resilience,” he added.
Go also strongly appealed for the passage of SB 1228 or the Mandatory Evacuation Center Act which will mandate the creation of permanent, safe and properly equipped evacuation centers in every municipality, city and province across the Philippines.
“Kapag dumating ang malakas na bagyo o kung anumang sakuna, sa mahihirap po talaga malakas ang epekto nito. Kada taon, iba’t ibang krisis ang hinaharap ng Pilipinas kaya naman dapat mabilis ang aksyon ng gobyerno upang mapaghandaan at maprotektahan ang buhay at kapakanan ng mga Pilipino,” Go earlier said.
“Kaya napaka importante po na tayo ay makapagpatayo ng mga safe, permanent and dedicated evacuation centers na may sapat na emergency packs, tulad ng maayos na tulugan, tubig, gamot at iba pang relief goods. Nakahanda na dapat ito kahit wala pang sakuna,” he underscored.
During the activity, Go’s team provided meals and masks to 2,056 beneficiaries from Barangays Bagacay and Old Taligue. The distributions were held at the respective barangay gymnasiums in compliance with mandated health protocols.
The team also gave select individuals new pairs of shoes and bicycles for commuting and provided others with computer tablets for their children’s studies.
In addition, personnel from the Department of Social Welfare and Development distributed financial aid as part of the government’s efforts to assist individuals in crisis situations. The Department of Trade and Industry and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority also conducted assessments for their respective assistance programs.
The senator, an advocate for better access to quality healthcare, urged residents not to ignore their medical needs in the midst of the pandemic. He offered to assist the sick and urged them to also avail of assistance from any of the province's five Malasakit Centers.
The center is a one-stop shop which aims to reduce a hospital bill to the lowest amount possible. It brings together under one roof the various government agencies which offer medical assistance, namely, the DSWD, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.
