Former Special Assistant to the President and 2019 senatorial candidate Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go threw his support behind President Rodrigo Duterte’s call for the creation of a Department of Disaster Resilience amid the deadly 6.1 magnitude earthquake that hit Luzon on Monday.
It could be recalled that in his 3rd State of the Nation Address last July 23, 2018, President Rodrigo Duterte reiterated his call for Congress to pass a law creating a more empowered department that would provide full-time focus on disaster management and would take charge of disaster risk reduction, preparedness and response with better recovery and rehabilitation.
“Madalas po tamaan ng bagyo, lindol at iba pang kalamidad ang ating bansa. Kung may iisang ahensya po na nakatutok dito, mas maayos, mabilis at maaasahan ang serbisyong maibibigay ng gobyerno para rumesponde at ihanda ang bansa sa ganitong mga hindi inaasahang pangyayari,” he said.
As of 6:00 a.m. Wednesday, a total of 16 people were killed, 86 wounded and 14 persons still missing in Region III, according to the official report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. A total of 80 structures and buildings in Region III and NCR sustained damage as a result of the quake.
NDRRMC also reported that at least 10 persons were injured in Region VIII as a result of the 6.5 magnitude quake in Eastern Samar.
“Kailangan po talaga natin na ang i-scale up ang preparedness to resilliency against earthquake….Ibig sabihin napapanahon na din na talagang magkaroon ng sariling departamento na nakatutok talaga dito sa mga ganitong pangyayari. Ako suportado ko po ito,” Go said in a radio interview.
Go said the matter was brought up anew during the briefing led by President Duterte in San Fernando, Pampanga after conducting an ocular inspection of the damage caused by the tremor.
The former SAP said that if he is elected to the Senate, he would press efforts to pass a law creating such a department.
“Nasa kongreso na po ito itong creation of Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR) at napapanahon na (ito). Aprubado na ito sa House of Representatives and pending na ito sa Senado. Asahan niyo, supportado ko ito pag nasa Senado na ako, “ Go said.
Go has been advocating for the establishment of strong, safe and well-equipped evacuation centers in the country as part of his legislative agenda.
Meanwhile, Go assured the people of Samar and adjacent provinces rocked by the 6.5 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday that the Duterte administration will extend to them the same kind of assistance extended to the victims of Luzon earthquake. Go had accompanied President Duterte in the Pampanga briefing.
“Siyempre ang Pangulong Duterte at ang mga kasamahan n’ya sa gobyerno (ay) 100% na (handang) tumulong malutas po kung ano ang pinsala na nangyari doon sa apektadong mga lugar dahil ready naman ang ahensya ng gobyerno na tumugon kaagad,” Go said.
“Narinig ko rin po sabi ng Pangulo, lalong-lalo na po diyan sa mga kapatid natin sa Samar na handa po ang ating national government agencies na tumulong po sa inyo po. Unang-una trabaho ng ating opisyales diyan ay para tumulong,” he added.
In the case of the Luzon earthquake, Go said President Duterte visited the family of the initial five quake fatalities reported and provided them assistance before the briefing in San Fernando. Go said the President was apparently satisfied with the initial response of both the concerned local government units and the national agencies.
“Gusto po sana n’ya (na) siya ang mauna (pumunta sa Pampanga), pero nabalitaan niya na mabilis ang response ng local government unit, at national government at talagang nag-augment po sila sa lahat ng pangangailangan ng ating mga kababayan,” Go said.
He said that President Duterte’s main directive to the concerned agencies is to restore normalcy as soon as possible.
Go also thanked private individuals and entities who have volunteered their services and resources in helping victims of the quake in Pampanga.
“Nakakatuwang tingnan na tulong-tulong ang mga kapatid natin, hindi lang po sa gobyerno pati po yung sa mga pribado nagpadala sila ng kagamitan para doon sa gumuhong supermarket,” he said.
The former SAP said the strong quakes that hit Luzon and Samar should be reminded to everyone not to take for granted the earthquake drills.
“Sana po ay huwag nating balewalain yung mga earthquake drills po…. at isaisip po natin parati kung ano ba ang dapat nating gawin sa mga ganitong pangyayari tulad ng nangyari sa Pampanga…Dapat nating tandaan parati na kung ano ba ang dapat gawin kaya sundin po natin ang ating awtoridad,” Go said.
Likewise, Go said that like many of the quake victims in Pampanga, those affected by the tremor in Samar and nearby areas needing medical assistance can seek help from the Malasakit Center in Tacloban City.
“Sa mga kapatid natin na sa Samar, mayroon po tayong Malasakit Center diyan sa Tacloban tulad po dito sa Pampanga. Marami pong natulungan ang Malasakit center natin diyan sa San Fernando, Pampanga. Handa pong tumulog ang ating Malasakit center naman po sa Tacloban sa Eastern Visayas Medical Center,” Go said.
“Sa inyo po iyan, bukas po iyan para sa pagpapagamot. At alam ninyo po na kahapon ay marami pong natulungan ang Jose Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital sa San Fernando, Pampanga iyong Malasakit Center natin doon,” he added.
A program of the Duterte administration based on Go’s idea, the Malasakit Center makes it easier and faster for poor patients to avail of medical and financial assistance from the government by bringing together in one room concerned agencies such as the DOH, DSWD, PCSO, and Philhealth.
Go is proposing a law to enable the establishment of Malasakit Center in more provinces and key urban centers of the country and ensure as well the continuation of the program even after the term of President Duterte.