Senators Christopher “Bong” Go and Robinhood “Robin” Padilla visited Mindanao this weekend to personally lead a series of relief operations for victims of Severe Tropical Storm Paeng in Datu Abdullah Sangki, Maguindanao del Sur and Datu Odin Sinsuat, and Maguindanao del Norte.

Both the senators’ teams mounted the relief activities at Datu Abdullah Sangki Municipal Compound and Datu Odin Sinsuat Municipal Covered Court where they assisted 2,000 typhoon victims

The senators’ outreach team provided relief items, such as grocery packs, vitamins, masks, meals, snacks, umbrellas, and shirts to the typhoon victims.

Go, likewise, provided cellular phones, watches, and shoes to select individuals while bicycles and balls for basketball and volleyball were handed out to others as part of his advocacy to encourage then to engage in sports and avoid vices like illegal drugs.

Aside from their aid, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) also extended financial assistance to each affected household.

In his speech, Go also reaffirmed his commitment to continue assisting calamity victims to the best of his ability.

“Huwag po kayong magpasalamat sa amin ni Robin. Huwag kayong magpasalamat sa amin ni (dating) pangulong Duterte. Sa totoo lang po, kami po ang dapat magpasalamat sa inyo dahil binigyan n’yo po kami ng pagkakataon na makapagserbisyo po sa inyo. Kaya magseserbisyo po kami sa inyo sa abot ng aming makakaya (Don't thank me and Robin. Don't thank us or former president Rodrigo Duterte. Honestly, we are the ones who should thank you because you gave us the opportunity to serve you. So we will serve you to the best of our ability),” Go said.

At the same time, Go also offered additional assistance to the beneficiaries in need of medical attention. He advised them to seek the services of the Malasakit Centers in their respective provinces.

It was Go who authored and sponsored the Republic Act No. 11463, otherwise known as the Malasakit Centers Act, that mandates the establishment of a Malasakit Center in hospitals administered or managed by the Department of Health (DOH) and in Philippine General Hospital (PGH).

Since its first launch in 2018, there are now 152 Malasakit Centers nationwide.

Likewise, Go reiterated his commitment to continue pushing for the passage of his Senate Bill No. 188, which would create the Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR).

The bill seeks to create a Cabinet-secretary level department that would solely develop holistic measures for better disaster preparedness.

“Panahon na po para magkaroon tayo ng isang departamento na cabinet-secretary level na nakatutok po. Para po yung secretary ang makikipag-coordinate sa LGUs (It's time for us to have a focused cabinet-secretary level department. So that the Cabinet secretary will coordinate with the LGUs),” Go explained.

“Walang katapusan po ang dumarating na bagyo, lindol, pagputok ng bulkan, at sunog sa buhay natin. The more that we should be proactive, the more na mag-iingat tayo. So kailangan po natin ng DDR (There is no end to typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and fires in our lives. The more that we should be proactive, the more that we will be careful. So we need a Department of Disaster Resilience),” he reiterated.