BONG GO ADVOCATES FOR STRONGER DISASTER RESILIENCE MEASURES AS HIS TEAM PROVIDED AID TO VICTIMS OF FLOOD AND LANDSLIDES IN DAVAO ORIENTAL

SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go’s commitment to disaster victims remains as he dispatched his Malasakit Team to Davao Oriental and provided grocery packs to 1,900 more landslide and flood victims from the towns of Banaybanay, Lupon, San Isidro, and Governor Generoso, and Mati City on Thursday, February 8.

The lawmaker reiterated his push for the passage of his filed Senate Bill No. 188, which seeks to establish the Department of Disaster Resilience. The proposed legislation aims to create a new government department, led by a cabinet secretary, focusing on comprehensive approaches to enhance disaster preparedness.

Go added that the DDR aims to concentrate on three significant areas: disaster risk reduction, disaster preparedness and response, and recovery and better building progress.

“Mayro’n rin po ako nai-file na Department of Disaster Resilience, ito pong departamento na ito, a cabinet-secretary level na siya po ang makikipag-coordinate bago pa dumating ‘yung bagyo at ilikas po ang mga kababayan natin sa ligtas na lugar at preposition of goods,” Go explained.

“Kapag may lindol, sunog, bagyo at itong pagputok ng bulkan, ilikas na kaagad sa mga ligtas na lugar. Iyan po ang Department of Disaster Resilience para restoration of normalcy kaagad,” he added.

As Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Go maintained his commitment to the health sector as he encouraged the residents to utilize the service offered in the Malasakit Centers at Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center in Mati City if they may need medical-related assistance.

Go initiated the Malasakit Centers program in 2018 in Cebu City after witnessing financially incapacitated Filipinos’ struggles in getting government medical assistance. It was later institutionalized under Republic Act No. 11463, which he principally sponsored and authored in the Senate.

Currently, there are 159 Malasakit Centers that have helped around ten million Filipinos, according to the Department of Health.

Still, in line with his health advocacy, Go mentioned that he has pushed for in coordination with DOH, led by Secretary Tedoro Herbosa, LGUs and lawmakers the funding for over 700 Super Health Centers in the country. A total of 14 Super Health Centers were funded to be established in the province. Go personally attended the groundbreaking of one in Mati City last January 26.

Super Health Centers offer database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy, and ambulatory surgical unit. Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service, oncology centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation centers, and telemedicine.

Go, as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, supported the funding for various projects in the province, including the rehabilitation of roads in Banaybanay, Baganga, Boston, Caraga, Lupon, Manay, and San Isidro; the construction of multipurpose buildings in Banaybanay, Lupon, Governor Generoso, San Isidro, and Caraga; street lighting project in Lupon and Banaybanay; construction of potable water systems in Baganga, Lupon, and Manay; and construction of flood mitigation structures in Caraga, Cateel, Lupon, Manay, San Isidro, and Tarragona; rehabilitation of drainage systems in Lupon and San Isidro; and construction of a slaughterhouse in San Isidro.

He also supported the acquisition of a motor vehicle for Lupon and ambulances for the local governments of Baganga, Boston, Caraga, Cateel, Manay, and Tarragona. In Mati City, Go supported the construction of several roads, the construction of the Davao Oriental Sports Complex, the rehabilitation of Buso Hot Spring Park, and the construction of a Public Park/Eco-Tourism Park and a multipurpose building.