SEN. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go vowed to push for more measures to improve the country’s firefighting capabilities as he provided aid to the families affected by a fire incident in Barangay 23C, Davao City.

The senator’s team provided snacks, food packs, vitamins, shirts and masks to 292 families on Friday, July 1, at the village gymnasium.

Select individuals also received new pairs of shoes or bicycles for their commuting needs while those with children were given phablets for educational use.

Go, in a video message, advised the residents to always be careful.

“Fortunately, the bill that I filed in the Senate to modernize our Bureau of Fire Protection had been enacted into law,” he said in Filipino.

Go is the principal author and co-sponsor of Republic Act (RA) 11589 which provides for the implementation of a ten-year Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) modernization program.

The program includes the acquisition of modern fire equipment, expansion of the BFP’s human resources, and provision of specialized training for firefighters, among others.

He noted that the law calls for the hiring of additional firefighters and the purchase of new firefighting equipment.

Signed by former president Rodrigo Duterte in 2021, RA 11589 also directs the BFP to conduct monthly fire prevention campaigns and information drives in every local government unit, particularly in informal settlements and economically depressed areas.

Meanwhile, personnel from various national government agencies also distributed assistance to help residents deal with the impacts of both the fire incident and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

The senator then urged his fellow Davaoeños who are already eligible to get vaccinated and boosted to protect themselves from the virus.

Go also offered additional help to those in need of medical attention. He advised them to avail of services from the Malasakit Center, a one-stop shop for the government’s medical assistance programs, located at the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City.

There are currently 151 Malasakit Centers nationwide. Go is also the principal author and sponsor of the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019.