Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go reiterated his call for the passage of Senate Bill 188 otherwise known as the Department of Disaster Resilience Act to help build back communities affected by disasters in the country.
The measure seeks to create a highly specialized agency that will be tasked with ensuring adaptive, disaster-resilient and safe communities.
Go appealed to his fellow legislators to support the measure establishing DDR, which he refiled in the 19th Congress, to unify and streamline all responsibilities related to disaster preparedness and response.
The senator’s appeal came as his team provided assistance to 30 victims of a landslide in Talaingod, Davao del Norte triggered by heavy rains last 12 August and distributed grocery packs, snacks, masks, vitamins, shirts and balls for basketball and volleyball. They also gave select individuals cell phones, shoes and bicycles.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development provided financial aid to each affected household through its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Program to further help them recover.
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 to help in the country’s return to normalcy.