Senator Bong Go Calls for Prioritizing Evacuation Centers
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go has strongly urged the government to prioritize the establishment of evacuation centers instead of continuing to fund failed or anomalous flood control projects. During a recent Senate Committee hearing on the Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations, the senator emphasized the importance of focusing on evacuation centers as mandated by law.
“I call on the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to prioritize this law (referring to Republic Act No. 12076) instead of implementing failed flood control projects. Dapat inuna ninyo na itong mga evacuation centers dahil batas na ito, at mapapakinabangan pa ng ating mga kababayan tuwing may baha at bagyo. Ito talaga ang mapapakinabangan ng mga nababaha,” Go said, highlighting the urgent need for safe shelters during disasters.
The Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act: A Vital Measure
Senator Go is the principal author and co-sponsor of Republic Act No. 12076, also known as the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act. This law mandates the creation of safe, fire-resilient evacuation centers in every city and municipality across the Philippines. Community members noted that these centers aim to protect the dignity and well-being of those affected by disasters while facilitating faster recovery.
According to officials, the Ligtas Pinoy Centers will serve as critical safe havens during floods and typhoons, reducing the vulnerability of affected populations. “Sa reported PhP 1.2 trillion budget for flood control from 2022 to 2025, ang puwede pong maitayo na evacuation centers kung binigyan ninyo ng prayoridad ay 60,000 evacuation centers,” the senator explained, stressing the scale of potential impact.
Funding and Budget Allocation Concerns
With the current flood control budget, local leaders noted that all 1,493 municipalities and 200 cities in the country could have their own evacuation centers. However, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman revealed during a Senate briefing that the DPWH has only allocated PhP 3.6 billion for Ligtas Pinoy Centers in the 2026 National Expenditure Program.
“About less than 1% po ng PhP 1 trillion (referring to the flood control budget from 2022 to 2025). Importante po itong evacuation center dahil gamit na gamit po ito sa mga totoong nabahaan,” Go reacted, underscoring the insufficient funding compared to the overall flood control budget.
Accountability for Failed Flood Control Projects
Previously, the senator called attention to ghost projects, substandard infrastructures, and questionable budget allocations related to flood control. Many community members and officials reported that these issues have enriched a few individuals while failing to protect vulnerable Filipinos from flooding.
As Vice Chairperson of both the Senate Blue Ribbon and Senate Finance Committees, Go urged accountability for those responsible. “Panagutin natin lahat ang responsible dito. Imbes na flood control, ang mayroon tayo ay floods out of control. Kapabayaang out of control! Bastusan na out of control,” he stressed emphatically.
Go also highlighted that these anomalous flood control projects represent not only corruption but grave injustice. “Nakakalungkot at nakakagulat na ang pondo ng bayan posibleng napunta lamang sa kamay ng iilang nagpayaman at nanamantala. Nagpabusog habang ang mga kababayan natin ay naghihirap at nagugutom,” he lamented.
Hope for Reform Under New DPWH Leadership
In light of these issues, the senator expressed confidence in the appointment of Secretary Vince Dizon as the new DPWH chief. “I hope he succeeds in rooting out corruption in DPWH and implements projects that can truly benefit Filipinos,” Go said.
He concluded with a firm message: “Mula noon hanggang ngayon, galit po tayo sa korap at mapang-abuso. Dapat lang panagutin natin ang may sala para matigil na ang ganitong nakakasukang kalakaran sa gobyerno.”
For more news and updates on evacuation centers, visit Filipinokami.com.
