Solon empathizes amid the climate crisis

Solon empathizes amid the climate crisis | Daily Tribune

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go echoed the rage over another massive flooding amid the corruption anomalies: “Nasasayang ang flood control, ginagawang gatasan ng mapagsamantala (Flood control funds are being wasted — turned into a milking cow by the corrupt and opportunistic).”

Go, on 6 November, shared the outrage of Cebuanos regarding the anomalous flood control projects in light of the massive flooding that followed the onslaught of typhoon “Tino.”

“The downpour here in Cebu is intense. Many people have been affected,” Go said.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), typhoon “Tino” dumped 183 millimeters of rain in Cebu, or equivalent to almost a month and a half’s worth of rain in November.

The senator continued, “Nasasayang (ang budget) sa mga flood control na ginagawa pong gatasan ng ilang mapagsamantala (The budget is being wasted on flood control projects that have become a cash cow for a few opportunists).”

Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro called the flood-control projects in Cebu Province either “ghost” or “substandard” and demanded justice and accountability from officials and contractors behind what she described as Cebu’s “deadliest flooding in years.”

During an earlier Senate hearing, Go expressed solidarity with the public’s clamor to hold accountable those behind the rampant corruption in flood-control projects.

“Let’s fight corruption. Jail the crooks and thieves. Lock up the vultures — charge and imprison the masterminds behind it all,” Go said.

Go co-authored Senate Bill 783 that seeks to prohibit contractors with direct links to government officials from participating in public infrastructure projects.

“This is a step toward ending the systemic corruption that has caused the waste of public funds,” Go explained.

Instead of the anomalous flood-control projects, Go proposed that the government fully implement the construction of permanent evacuation centers in every municipality and city across the country.

“This should be prioritized in the government’s budget… Please, just allocate the funds here for the evacuation center. It should be orderly, clean, and comfortable so that the children won’t get sick.”

Senator Go is the principal author and co-sponsor of Republic Act 12076, or the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act, which seeks to establish safe and disaster-resilient evacuation centers in every municipality and city in the country.

Consoling grief

Go visited Cebu to help typhoon victims, asks national government to prioritize recovery efforts and restore normalcy: “Huwag pabayaan ang Visayas (Don’t neglect the Visayas).”

On 6 November, I personally visited Cebu province to assess the extent of damage and assist residents following typhoon “Tino.”

Executive departments, particularly the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Health (DoH), were reminded to prioritize the condition of children and vulnerable sectors.

Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro signed Executive Order 68, series of 2025, declaring a state of calamity in Cebu Province.

Go added, “I am calling on everyone — the DSWD, DoH, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Energy and all government agencies — what we urgently need now is the restoration of normalcy.”

He emphasized the need to be proactive and to ensure the presence of safe, disaster-resilient evacuation centers in every locality across the country, as mandated by Republic Act 12076, or the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act, which he principally authored and co-sponsored.