Senator Christopher “Bong” Go called for an immediate and thorough review of how the government’s disaster funds are being used, following the damage caused by Typhoons Kristine, Leon, Nika, Ofel, and Pepito.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, as of 16 November, Typhoons Kristine and Leon forced more than 168,000 people across nine regions to evacuate. Over 2.4 million families and 9.6 million individuals were affected. These storms tragically claimed the lives of 162 people, injured 137, and left 22 missing.
Typhoon Marce impacted over 110,000 families, forcing thousands to flee. Typhoons Nika, Ofel, and Pepito have also affected a total of 110,410 families so far.
With large numbers of people affected, Go emphasized the need for proper management of disaster funds, ensuring they are used for their intended purposes in line with existing laws. While financial assistance is crucial for relief efforts, Go pointed out that agencies like the Department of Social Welfare and Development already have specific funds and programs in place to provide aid.
"Ang pondo para sa kalamidad ay para sa mga nasalanta ng bagyo at hindi dapat nagagamit sa ibang bagay," Go said in a statement. "Naiintindihan ko na kailangan ng ayuda, pero may hiwalay naman pong pondo at mga programa diyan na inilaan para sa mga nangangailangan. Dapat malinaw ang paggamit ng disaster funds upang mas mabilis makabangon ang mga apektadong komunidad."
"Mahalaga ang tiwala ng taumbayan na ginagamit ang pondo ng gobyerno sa tamang paraan, lalo na sa oras ng krisis," he added.
Go also expressed his plan to seek clarification on how the disaster funds have been spent, stressing the importance of oversight to prevent any misuse of resources.
The Senator also recalled his efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he urged the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte to increase allocations to replenish disaster funds for local government units as their resources dwindled.
In response, Duterte approved the increase to support recovery efforts. Go emphasized that such proactive measures should be a model for handling future crises.