ASSISTANCE. A resident of Tagum City in Davao del Norte receives a bicycle on Wednesday (August 19, 2020) from the office of Senator Christopher Lawrence Go. The senator's staff distributed immediate relief assistance to the residents in the city who were affected by a fire and two tornadoes in different barangays recently. (Photo from Sen. Go's office)
DAVAO CITY – Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go’s office distributed immediate relief assistance to the residents in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, who were affected by a fire and two tornadoes in different barangays recently, a statement from the office said Friday.
Five members of a family were affected by the fire that ravaged their home on July 4, while 12 families from two barangays --Libuganon and Busaon -- were hit by a tornado on July 4 and July 29, respectively.
In a video call, Go told the beneficiaries that his team brought food packs, face masks, and bicycles for selected internally displaced persons.
“I heard that a tornado hit your community. What is important is that nobody was hurt,” he said.
Go's office assured the distribution of assistance was conducted in compliance with strict health and safety protocols, including physical distancing, to ensure the beneficiaries' protection from the coronavirus disease.
Barangay Busaon chairperson Bienvenido Lagmay thanked the senator for the assistance, saying it was the first time that they have received aid from the national government after a calamity struck their community.
“I thanked the Senator for the help he extended. This is the first time that we received such assistance from the national government,” Lagmay said in the vernacular.
Aside from Go’s office, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) also provided financial assistance to the fire and tornado victims through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program.
“I also reached out to DSWD. We have a program that extended financial assistance to the needy. If you also need hospitalization assistance you can coordinate with my staff. We are ready to help you,” Go said.
Meanwhile, the senator said he has been pushing for several measures that will help the country improve its services and respond to fires and calamities.
These include Senate Bill 204 or the proposed Fire Protection Modernization Act of 2019, SB 205 or the Department of Disaster Resilience Act, and SB 1228 or the Mandatory Evacuation Center Bill.
Earlier, Go said it is necessary for the country to upgrade the facilities and capabilities of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) especially amid the ongoing health crisis.
SB 205 seeks to create an empowered, highly specialized, and responsive Department of Disaster Resilience wherein it will concentrate on three key areas: disaster risk reduction, disaster preparedness, and response, and recovery, and building forward better.
The Mandatory Evacuation Center Bill, on the other hand, will mandate the establishment of safe, permanent, fully-equipped, and dedicated evacuation centers in every city, province, and municipality in the country. (PNA)
