COMMITTED to help build back communities affected by disasters, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go has once again renewed his call for the passage of Senate Bill No. 205, otherwise known as the Department of Disaster Resilience Act, which seeks to create a highly specialized agency that will be tasked with ensuring adaptive, disaster-resilient and safe communities.

Senator Go appealed to his fellow legislators to support the measure establishing DDR, once refiled in the 19th Congress to unify and streamline all responsibilities related to disaster preparedness and response.

“Alam naman po natin na napakadalas pong tamaan ng bagyo ang ating bansa. Hindi lamang po bagyo pati na rin po lindol, pagputok ng bulkan, at iba pang kalamidad. Kaya kailangan po talaga natin i-step up ang ating paghahanda laban sa mga nasabing kalamidad,” explained Go in his video message during the relief effort.

“Itong departamento na ito, bago pa dumating ang bagyo, mayroon na hong makikipag-coordinate sa LGUs, preposition of goods at ilikas po ang mga kababayan natin sa ligtas na lugar. At pag-alis ng bagyo, restoration of normalcy kaagad, maibalik kaagad sa normal ang pamumuhay ng mga kababayan natin. ‘Yan po ang layunin ng Department of Disaster Resilience,” Go explained.

Held at the Arayat Sports Complex, Go’s team distributed meals and masks to 775 Typhoon Ulysses victims. They also gave select individuals phablets, shoes and bicycles.

Meanwhile, the National Housing Authority gave financial assistance to each affected household through its Emergency Housing Assistance Program to further help them recover.

Senator Go, who heads the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, then reminded the public to look after their well-being and health as the threat of COVID-19 remains. Furthermore, he urged the eligible residents to get inoculated against the virus as this would contribute to the country’s goal of attaining population protection leading to herd immunity.

“May mga reports po na unti-unti na naman pong tumataas ang kaso ng COVID-19. Mga kababayan ko, ‘wag po natin hahayaan na bumalik na naman po tayo na napupuno ang mga ospital. Magpabakuna na po kayo at libre naman po ito. Pinaghirapan po ito ng gobyerno,” appealed Go.

The senator also offered additional assistance to those with health concerns as he urged them to get medical aid from any of the Malasakit Centers located at Rafael Lazatin Memorial Medical Center in Angeles City and Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital in San Fernando City.

The Malasakit Centers Act of 2019 was primarily authored and sponsored by Go to help particularly poor and indigent Filipinos access medical assistance programs by the government. Currently, there are 151 operational centers nationwide.

Apart from the assistance, Go as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance also supported several projects in Arayat to help boost its progress and economic growth, such as the construction of a multipurpose building and the funding of new equipment for hospitals in the municipality.

In the end, Go expressed his gratitude towards the local officials for serving their constituents especially during crisis situations.

“Ngayon po na bago na ang ating administrasyon, huwag po natin kalimutan na patuloy lang po ang ating pagseserbisyo sa ating mga kababayan. Suportahan po natin ang bagong administrasyon habang pinagpapatuloy natin ang serbisyong tatak Duterte upang tuluy-tuloy ang ating pag-angat mula sa krisis na ito,” expressed Go.

On June 22, Go’s outreach team also visited Arayat and assisted 649 typhoon victims.