Duterte orders quick response to quake victims – Go

Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Thursday assured the public that President Rodrigo Duterte is safe after another strong earthquake hit the southern parts of Mindanao on Thursday morning.

The senator also noted that the President has already ordered concerned government agencies to ensure the safety and well-being of residents in affected areas.

In a statement, Go recounted that Duterte was in his home in Davao City when a 6.5-magnitude earthquake, with Tulunan, North Cotabato as the epicenter, occurred at 9:11 AM, two days after a 6.6-magnitude earthquake and two weeks after a 6.3-magnitude earthquake hit the same area.

Hundreds of aftershocks were also recorded in between the main shocks.

As to reports that the continuous earthquakes have damaged many structures, Go said that government agencies should be strict in implementing the relevant laws, particularly the National Building Code which the Senator plans to revisit and propose necessary amendments to ensure safety amid recurring natural disasters, such as earthquakes.

Given the frequency of calamities and natural disasters that often occur in the country, Go also said that he is pushing for the establishment of a separate executive department focused on disaster resilience to serve as the lead agency for disaster response of the government.