Sen.Bong Go pushes the passage of the Ligtas Pinoy passage Act or Mandatory Evacuation Center bill.

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, in the light of his recent manifestation pushing for the passage of the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act or the Mandatory Evacuation Centers bill in the Senate and the ongoing budget deliberations in the upper chamber, maintained that he remains committed to assisting the victims of natural disasters and calamities.

Go has been deploying his outreach teams to different provinces across the country, ensuring that aid reaches those who need it most.

“Sunog, bagyo, lindol, buhawi, putok ng bulkan… ang aking pinangako sa Pilipino na kahit saang sulok po sa Pilipinas, basta kaya ng aking katawan at panahon, pupuntahan ko po kayo. Nakikipag ugnayan din po kami sa mg LGUs upang mapuntahan din ng aking team ang mga apektado,” vowed Go, whose hometown, Davao City, recently suffered massive flooding in southern parts before the weekend.

“Nais kong makatulong sa abot ng aking makakaya sa mga mahihirap, at makapag-iwan ng kasiyahan sa inyong mga mukha sa oras ng inyong pangangailangan. Alam n’yo tao lang rin ako na napapagod rin. Ngunit kapag nakikita ko kayong masaya at nakakatulong kami ay nawawala rin ang aking pagod, mga kababayan ko,” he continued.

The lawmaker has championed Senate Bill No. 2451, or the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act. The bill, primarily sponsored by Senator Jinggoy Estrada, aims to establish permanent, well-equipped evacuation centers nationwide. He earlier filed a previous version of the bill titled the "Mandatory Evacuation Center Act," underscoring his enduring commitment to improving the country's disaster preparedness infrastructure.

This proposed legislation aims to ensure that communities have access to safe and well-equipped evacuation centers, which are vital in safeguarding the lives and well-being of residents during emergencies.

The senator further underscored the necessity of having emergency equipment and supplies ready in these centers.

"Dapat laging handa ang mga emergency packs na may kumpletong gamit tulad ng pagkain, gamot, first aid, at iba pa para sa ating mga kababayan. Ito ay para mabilis at maayos na makatugon sa kanilang pangangailangan sa oras ng sakuna," he said.

Meanwhile, Go has reiterated his strong support for programs and initiatives under the proposed 2024 budget which aim to help build more disaster resilient communities.

One of these important initiatives is the National Housing Authority's (NHA) Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP), which provides support to families whose houses were severely damaged by calamities.

“Isinusulong natin ang programa ng NHA para mabigyan ng housing assistance ang mga nasunugan o tinamaan ng sakuna at ito ay pwede niyong magamit na pambili ng housing materials tulad ng pako, yero at iba pang kagamitang pampaayos ng bahay,” Go explained.

“Sa mga biktima ng sunog o ano mang kalamidad, huwag ho kayong mag-alala. Sabi ko nga sa inyo noon, ang gamit ay nabibili. Ang pera ay kikitain, subalit ‘yung perang kikitain ay hindi po nabibili ang buhay. A lost life is a lost life forever,” he continued.

Go's commitment to assisting disaster victims is further underscored by his advocacy for a more disaster-resilient nation.

Go has also been pushing for the passage of SBN 188, which seeks to establish a Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR). This proposed department will serve as a central agency tasked with coordinating disaster risk reduction and management efforts on a national scale, ensuring a more efficient and comprehensive response to calamities.

“Hindi sapat ang mga task force o coordinating council lamang. Dapat po mayroong isang departamento dahil hindi natin nape-predict kung kailan darating ang mga bagyo sa buhay natin. At saka nandito nga po tayo sa Pacific Ring of Fire… dapat po mayroon tayong isang departamentong nakatutok na may klarong mandato at awtoridad upang mamahala, ihanda ang bansa, at rumesponde sa mga krisis na dulot ng kalamidad,” he added.

Go emphasized the importance of these bills, saying, "We need to be proactive in our approach to disaster resilience. By establishing a dedicated department and ensuring the availability of evacuation centers, we can better protect our fellow Filipinos during times of crisis."