Go renews call for passage of twin measures promoting disaster resilience

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go has renewed his call for the passage of his twin measures establishing the Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR) and requiring the construction of evacuation centers following a magnitude 7.0 earthquake that hit Northern Luzon last Wednesday.

“At the opening of the 19th Congress last July 25, I immediately refiled Senate Bill (SB) 188, a proposed measure seeking to establish the Department of Disaster Resilience. I have initially filed the bill in the 18th Congress,” said Go in an ambush interview after personally distributing assistance to indigent residents of Manay, Davao Oriental on Thursday, July 28.

The bill aims to establish a DDR which will bring together all essential functions and mandates currently scattered among various disaster-related agencies. Once established, it shall be primarily responsible for implementing programs, projects, and activities that ensure communities are disaster-resilient, adaptive and safe.

Go, chairman of the Senate Health and Demography Committee, said he was prompted to refile the bill because “the Philippines’ experiences with natural disasters have shown that the existing laws, policies, resources, and institutional arrangements governing disaster management lacked responsiveness to the country's requirements for disaster resilience.”

The senator from Davao maintained that a new department with a secretary in charge would ensure more focused government efforts during calamities. This will also support President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.’s pronouncements in his inaugural speech to “spare victims” and “help them recover” from the impact of climate change.

Aside from the DDR bill, Go also refiled SB 193, or the Mandatory Evacuation Center Bill, which will require every province, city and municipality to construct such centers that will be equipped with emergency packs, medicines and other basic necessities.

Under the proposed measure, the construction and maintenance of evacuation centers in all localities shall be implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), in coordination with local government units (LGUs) concerned and other line agencies.

The bill also provides the minimum requirements for every evacuation center, including the location, structural or building capacity, and amenities and accessibility.

Go committed to help the communities in Northern Luzon affected by the latest earthquake. He also expressed his condolences to the families of those who perished as a result of the disaster.

The senator also expressed his confidence that the government is on top of the situation and will immediately provide the needs of the victims so that they may recover promptly.

Meanwhile, Go urged vigilance and caution after the country detected its first case of monkeypox. He also called for stricter disease surveillance and improved border control as he cited lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Go said that awareness, detection, surveillance, and containment are key to prevent the disease from spreading across the country.

He has also refiled a bill which seeks to establish the Philippine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC shall serve as the lead agency for developing communicable disease control and prevention initiatives. It will be primarily responsible for controlling the introduction and spread of infectious diseases in the Philippines.

He also reintroduced his bill seeking to establish the Virology Science and Technology Institute of the Philippines. The proposed measure seeks to boost the country's ability to develop vaccines against highly pathogenic emerging viruses.