Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go has rallied the passage of a priority bill that seeks to give access to housing and social protection program for individuals struck by disasters and the informal settlers.

In a statement on Tuesday, Go said he will push for the enactment of Senate Bill (SB) No. 1227 or the proposed Rental Housing Subsidy Act of 2019 which will provide victims of calamity and informal settlers better and more affordable access to formal market rental subsidy.

Go recently spoke with 631 typhoon victims in Medellin, north of Cebu province through a live video, asking them to prioritize their health and well-being while recovering from the effects of the calamity.

The typhoon victims received grocery packs, meals, face shields and vitamins from the personnel sent by Go’s office for the relief assistance distribution at the Medellin Sports Complex.

There were also some beneficiaries of bicycles, computer tablets and new pairs of shoes.

“Now that we are in the midst of a pandemic, it worsened the situation of those affected by the typhoon. Often, our countrymen are even more afraid of losing their homes than having Covid-19. This is not right so I will fight for every Filipino family to have a good and decent house,” Go told the typhoon victims in Filipino.

He also urged the residents to avail of services in any of the six Malasakit Centers in Cebu province that consolidate medical assistance from the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, among others.

He also advocated for the creation of the Department of Disaster Resilience that would focus on addressing, preparing and mitigating the effects of natural and human-induced disasters.

In his video message, Go said SB No. 205 aims for the establishment of the new department that would unify and streamline the responsibilities and functions related to the country’s disaster preparedness.

The new department will have a cabinet-level secretary who would steer down to the local level and will provide for a clear chain of command and create a more holistic and proactive approach in dealing with emergency situations.

“Sa aking pag-iikot at pagbibigay tulong sa mga kababayan nating nasalanta ng bagyo (In my visits and in providing assistance to our fellow countrymen devastated by the typhoon), I witnessed first-hand the worsening situation of the lives of our fellow countrymen hit by calamities who have lost a place to call home,” he said. (PNA)