As principal author and co-sponsor of Republic Act No. 12076 or the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go supported the call for its swift implementation, as mentioned in President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fourth State of the Nation Address.

RA 12076 mandates the construction of permanent evacuation centers in all municipalities and cities.

“Unahin na ng Department of Public Works and Highway itong pagpapatayo ng evacuation centers. Batas naman po ito. Mandato po ito ng batas na maglalagay ng mga evacuation center sa bawat bayan sa buong bansa,” Go said.

Go emphasized the vulnerability of the Philippines to climate change and natural hazards.

“Tinukoy ng Asian Development Bank ang Pilipinas bilang most disaster-prone sa Southeast Asia. Mula 2014 hanggang 2023, umabot na sa halos 43 milyong Pilipino ang naapektuhan ng mga kalamidad,” he pointed out.

Go also noted, “When a disaster strikes, the Filipinos, especially the underprivileged, suffer the most.”

Popularly known as “Mr. Malasakit” for his compassion for the marginalized, Go recalled his experiences visiting disaster-hit areas even before entering the Senate in 2019.

“Sa kakaikot ko po sa buong bansa, nakita ko po tuwing may bagyo, baha, lindol, putok ng bulkan, nagagamit po ang eskwelahan, mga covered court, mga gym, at naantala po ang pag-aaral ng mga estudyante,” Go said.

He added, “Wala pong komportable at maayos na evacuation center. Ang iba ay nagkakasakit at iyung iba po ay nauulanan pa habang nandiyan ang bagyo.”

Drawing from these experiences, Go said he prioritized clean, comfortable, and well-equipped evacuation centers with proper sanitation and medical supplies.

In a related move, Go is also pushing for Senate Bill No. 173, or the Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR), which he refiled in the 20th Congress.

The DDR seeks to create a specialized government agency to centralize disaster response and recovery efforts, and to strengthen community adaptation and resilience.

“Ako naman, bilang inyong Kuya Bong Go, magseserbisyo ako sa inyong lahat dahil bisyo ko ang magserbisyo. Magtulungan tayo upang ilapit ang serbisyo ng mga Pilipinong nangangailangan,” Go said.