Senator Christopher “Bong” Go emphasized the heightened vulnerability of urban poor communities during disasters, pointing out that many reside in unsafe, flood-prone areas, and called for stronger government support to protect them.

On Thursday night, Go visited Barangay Bacayan in Cebu City to comfort families who lost loved ones during typhoon Tino’s devastating strike.

Go attended a mass wake at the Bacayan Covered Court, where he met with the families of 13 victims who perished in the disaster. The senator extended his sympathies and called on the public to continue praying for the province as it recovers from the typhoon’s aftermath.

During his visit, Go highlighted the vulnerability of urban poor communities during calamities, noting that many live in unsafe and flood-prone areas.

“The poor are the hardest hit when storms and floods strike, because many of them live along the creeks,” Go said, stressing the need for increased government funding for urban housing projects. 

He added that he would review allocations for housing programs in the upcoming budget deliberations.

After attending the wake, Go visited the nearby Villa del Rio Subdivision in the same barangay to check on residents affected by flooding. He handed out hot meals and grocery packs to displaced families while surveying the damage left by the typhoon.

“Let’s be proactive. In the future, projects should be well-planned, and our fellow citizens should be protected,” he said, urging better disaster preparedness and infrastructure planning.

The senator also appealed to the national government to prioritize rehabilitation efforts in the Visayas, which bore the brunt of typhoon “Tino.”

“Again, I call on the national government — do not neglect the Visayas. This is where the majority of those affected by typhoon “Tino” are concentrated,” he said.