Senator Bong Go extended assistance to families affected by Tropical Depression Basyang in Barangay Agusan, Cagayan de Oro City, through his office on Saturday, 7 February, as communities continue to recover from the severe weather disturbance that brought heavy rains and triggered deadly landslides in parts of Northern Mindanao.

Affected families received cash assistance, relief goods, and flower tributes for bereaved relatives as part of efforts to provide immediate support to those coping with loss and displacement following the storm.

Among those who perished in the landslide incident in Barangay Agusan were spouses Paul Lariosa and Rufa Lariosa, as well as their nieces Rhea Love Saludo and Alliah Lariosa, according to local disaster officials. The landslide was triggered by intense rainfall that saturated the ground after days of continuous downpour.

Tropical Depression Basyang entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility in early February and affected several areas in the Visayas and Mindanao, bringing persistent rains that led to flooding, landslides, and forced evacuations in vulnerable communities.

In Northern Mindanao, weather authorities warned of heightened risks due to soil saturation and unstable slopes, particularly in upland and riverside barangays.

Go underscored the importance of providing timely assistance to families affected by disasters, especially those who lost loved ones and sources of livelihood.

“In times like these, it is important that affected families feel that someone is helping and standing with them,” Go said in Filipino. “Immediate assistance, even if temporary, means a great deal to those who have lost loved ones and their homes.”

The senator reiterated his push for measures aimed at strengthening disaster resilience and providing housing support for Filipinos living in hazard-prone areas.

Go is the principal author and co-sponsor of Republic Act No. 12076, or the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act, which mandates the establishment of permanent, disaster-resilient, and fully equipped evacuation centers nationwide. The measure seeks to provide safer and more dignified temporary shelters for families displaced by calamities.

“We need to ensure that evacuation centers are safe, orderly, and ready for use at any time,” Go said. “Evacuating families during disasters should not put them in further danger.”

He has also refiled Senate Bill No. 173, or the proposed Department of Disaster Resilience Act, which seeks to create a dedicated agency to unify disaster risk reduction, preparedness, response, and rehabilitation efforts under one institution.

In addition, Go refiled Senate Bill No. 415, or the proposed Rental Housing Subsidy Program, aimed at providing temporary shelter assistance to families displaced by disasters as they rebuild or transition to permanent housing.

“Whatever trials we may face in the coming days, I will continue to serve you all. Serving the people is my passion, and I believe that service to the people is service to God,” Go said.