Go pushes creation of disaster resilience department

MANILA, Philippines — The situation in Batanes after twin earthquakes that struck on Saturday reinforces the need to create a Department of Disaster Resilience, according to Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go.

Go said the proposed department would focus on natural disasters and concentrate on a disaster resilience framework in three key result areas – disaster risk reduction, disaster preparedness and response and “recovery and building forward better.”

“By establishing this department, faster government services in response to calamities and natural disasters will efficiently help alleviate the devastating effects of natural calamities on our Filipino brothers and sisters,” he said.

Go earlier filed Senate Bill 205, the “Disaster Resilience Act of 2019,” to establish “an empowered, highly specialized and responsive Department of Disaster Resilience with clear unity of command.”

Go also filed Senate Bill 394, the “Emergency Medical Services System (EMSS) Act of 2019,” which seeks to establish a 24-hour emergency hotline for Filipinos nationwide. This is in support of Executive Order 56, which was signed by Duterte last year, providing for the 911 official nationwide emergency hotline.

Under this proposed bill, local government agencies are required to establish dispatch centers and a unified emergency medical service system and ensure that there will be an adequate transport system to respond to these emergencies.

On Sunday afternoon, a day after the temblors struck the island of Itbayat in the country’s northernmost province, Go accompanied President Duterte in an aerial inspection of the affected areas.

Together with local government officials and heads of concerned national agencies, the Chief Executive and his former aide assessed the effects and oversaw the extent of damage caused by the two earthquakes – one measured at magnitude 5.4 which struck at 4:16 a.m. and another, magnitude 5.9, about four hours later, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

Go and the President also handed out cash assistance to the families of the eight recorded casualties and the 60 injured.