SPECIAL Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Tesoro Go rushed from Davao City to Sta. Cruz, Manila on Sunday to give assistance to victims of the fire that gutted their homes last April 27, 2018.
Go arrived in Davao from Singapore where he accompanied President Rodrigo Duterte to the Asean summit. He told the victims that he went to the fire scene straight from Davao to let them know that Duterte was saddened by the tragedy that befell them.
“Nalulungkot po siya tuwing may nasusunugan. Ang importante walang nasaktan, walang nabawian ng buhay,” said Go.
(He [the president] is sad every time there are victims of fire. What’s important is that no one was hurt, no life was lost).
In addition to the grocery packs and financial aid from the Office of the President, Go also gave his personal belongings, including clothes and shoes, to the fire victims.
“Pagdating ko po sa Davao kanina, naisip ko ang iba kong damit at sobra-sobra naman po ang biyaya ng Maykapal sa amin. Kaya imbis po na itago ko ito, dalhin ko na lang po sa inyo. Ang karamihan po dito ay mga panlalaki, ibibigay ko na lang kay Chairman para maipamahagi,” he said.
(When I arrived in Davao earlier, I thought about my other clothes right away and yes, the blessings of the Lord to me are more than enough. So instead of keeping them, I brought them for you. Most of these are for men, I will give them to the barangay captain for distribution).
Noticing a man from the crowd wearing slippers, Go offered to swap his own shoes with the man’s slippers.
“Gusto mo itong suot ko? Tara halika dito basta kasya [You want what I’m wearing? Come here. You can have it as long as it fits you],” he said.
Apart from his own clothes, Go distributed women’s clothes, shoes and watches.
Go also assured the victims that other government agencies would provide them additional assistance.
“Nandito po ang national government, and Department of Social Welfare and Development para sa food packs, canned goods, rice, mats and blankets, at ang Department of Health meron silang hygiene packs para sa inyo.”
(The national government is here and the DSWD for food packs, canned goods, rice, mats and blankets and the DoH has hygiene packs for you),” he said.
Go inspected the site of the fire to assess the extent of the damage together with DOH Secretary Franciso Duque, DSWD Secretary Emmanuel A. Leyco, and Manila 3rd District Rep. Yul Servo Nieto.
Go also assured some of the fire victims, who are natives of Davao, that the government can help them go home if they want to.
“Mga Bisaya sila na gusto nang bumalik ng Davao. Wala silang pera, sabi ko bumalik na lang kayo at papamasahiin namin kayo sa eroplano pabalik ng Davao. Yung iba taga Gen San (General Santos City) baka mahirapan silang magtayo ng bahay dito. Kami na po ang mag-a-arrange po,” said Go.
(Some of them are Visayans who want to go back to Davao but they don’t have money. I told them that we can help arrange for their transportation back to Davao. Some of them are from Gen San. They might find it difficult to rebuild their houses here. We would make the necessary arrangements for them).
A total of 586 families were left homeless when the fire razed the area at the corner of Doroteo Jose and Oroquieta Streets in Manila last Friday.
Meanwhile, Duque said that the DOH will
Continue to provide medical assistance to the victims of the fire that left hundreds homeless and injured five persons, who were treated onsite during then incident. Most of the families are currently staying the in the adjacent covered court.
He also checked on the heath conditions of the victims during the visit assisted by Undersecretary Lilibeth David, Fabella Hospital Chief Esmeraldo Ilem, Health Emergency Management Bureau staff and Dr. Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center health specialists.
Two medical teams from the Tondo Medical Center and Fabella Hospital were also deployed in the area to provide medical services. Presently, Tondo Medical Center and the National Center for Mental Health is providing mental health and psychosocial support services (MHPSS) among affected individuals.
Also, the DOH sought support of the Philippine Red Cross to help provide clean and safe water to the residents.