CEBU CITY – More than 200 fire victims in two separate places in Metro Cebu have received relief assistance from the office of Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go.
A statement on Monday, September 13, showed that 16 households or 44 individuals in Barangay Sta. Cruz here and 108 families comprising 216 individuals in Subangdaku, Mandaue City received cash aid, grocery packs, lunches, masks, face shields, and vitamins from Go’s staff.
The distribution activities were conducted in two separate occasions last week while observing stringent safety and health regulations to protect the beneficiaries from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
In his video message, Go urged the fire victims to help one another in surviving the calamity that befell them, pledging better fire prevention, management and mitigation efforts following President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent signing of Republic Act No. 11589, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Modernization Act.
He reassured the public that modernizing the BFP will boost the country's fire prevention and response capabilities, thus saving more lives and properties.
The law mandates that the BFP undergo a modernization program that includes, among other measures, the acquisition of new fire equipment, recruitment of more firefighters, and the provision of specialized training to firemen.
With the new law, Go sought the people’s cooperation in coping with the impact of the calamity by helping fire victims.
“Mga kababayan ko, magtulungan po tayo. Kailangan natin ng kooperasyon ng bawat isa. Sa mga nasunugan naman po, huwag ho kayong mag-alala. Magtulungan lang tayo (My fellow countrymen, let us work together. We need each other’s cooperation. For the fire victims, don't worry. Let's just work together),” Go said.