Samal flood victims get assistance from Bong Go

By Javier Joe Ismael November 5, 2022 

SEN. Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go continues to push for improved access to basic services, shelter and other amenities for victims, especially in areas where calamities frequently occur.

In this regard, the lawmaker has refiled Senate Bill 193 which provides for the establishment of a dedicated evacuation center in every municipality, city and province that can accommodate victims and meet their basic needs during emergencies to help them cope and recover faster.

"With the typhoon season, it is expected that many affected communities will be needing evacuation centers. As the pandemic continues to threaten the health of many Filipinos, we need to scale up our efforts to keep them safe from harm and other health hazards," said Go.

"We should ensure that the facilities for the evacuees are Covid-ready and disaster resilient. Let's act on it. Let us not wait for the calamities and the rise in Covid-19 cases will simultaneously occur," he continued.

On Monday, October 31, the senator sent his team to help the flood-affected households in the Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos), Davao del Norte. 

The senator's staff visited the evacuation center in Barangay Peñaplata where they gave grocery packs, vitamins, masks, and snacks to 74 flood victims. In addition, they gave away bicycles, cellular phones, shoes, basketballs and volleyballs to select individuals.

Personnel from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) also gave financial assistance to each affected household to hasten their recovery.

"My countrymen, let us help one another because belongings can be bought. Money can be earned. However, the money we earn cannot buy life. This is why I always remind flood victims and other victims of calamities and disasters that what is important is that we are alive," said Go in a video conference to the victims.

"A lost life is a lost life forever. Let us be careful with our lives and health," he added.

As chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Go likewise offered support to victims who need medical care. He also informed them that there are Malasakit Centers at Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City or Davao Regional Medical Center in Tagum City where they may conveniently avail medical aid from the government.

The centers are one-stop shops which streamline the process of requesting medical assistance from the relevant agencies, namely, the DSWD, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corp. and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. To date, 152 Malasakit Centers have assisted millions of poor and indigent patients nationwide.

He was also instrumental in the construction of the Igacos Super Health Center to further improve access to health services in Samal Island.

Super Health Centers are medium versions of polyclinics and are bigger than rural health units, which offer basic services such as out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: X-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy, and ambulatory surgical unit, among others.

Go, as vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, has also supported the water system project in Barangay Pangubatan, Libertad and San Remigio, Kinawitnon and Miranda; construction of bypass road Jct. Babak-Samal-Kaputian Road Brgy. San Antonio, Tagpopongan, Phase 2, Igacos Circumferential Road; and the construction of a two-story multipurpose building and a farm-to-market road in Barangay Tambo.

He likewise supported the construction of several roads, including the road from Crossing Toril, Babak to Barangay Sto. Niño, Babak District; the road from San Agustin Elementary School to Maximo Arellano Elementary School, Barangay Sto. Niño, Babak District; and the road at the Port of Barangay Sta. Cruz to Barangay Linosutan, Talicud Island, Kaputian District.

Other initiatives he supported in the province are the rechanneling of a river, construction of a river wall, and concreting of the Sitio Bunsalag to Sitio Misulok-Sulok road in Talaingod; construction of a concrete revetment along the Tagum-Libuganon River Basin and dike along the Sadpudon Creek in Carmen; construction of multipurpose buildings in Kapalong and New Corella; and renovation of the public terminal, public parks and plaza in New Corella.

The other day, Go's team likewise visited and provided aid to more than a thousand typhoon victims in Maguindanao.

Igacos won’t allow island-hopping despite tourism reopening

Photo by Ace Perez

By RALPH LAWRENCE G. LLEMIT

SunStar Davao City

ISLAND-HOPPING within the Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos) will still be prohibited once tourism operations within the island resume on March 1, 2021.

Igacos Tourism Officer Jennifer Dagohoy Cariaga said in a radio interview on Wednesday, February 24, that island-hopping, one of the main tourism activities on the island, is still not allowed.

Cariaga did not further elaborate on the reason why the local government had temporarily suspended island-hopping activities.

The prohibition of island-hopping had been an existing guideline on the island prior to the suspension of Samal's tourism activities on December 18, 2020.

In a previous report, island-hopping was suspended to regulate the movement of the public as a mitigating measure against Covid-19.

She also said resort-hopping will also not be allowed.

"Kung asa ka naka-book, dili ka pwede magsuroy. Dili ka pwede mag-resort-hopping (Once you are booked to a certain establishment, you cannot roam anywhere and do resort hopping)," Cariaga said.

As of Wednesday, the city government has yet to issue an executive order (EO) on the complete guidelines, which Cariaga said the mayor will issue within the week.

She also added they would still implement the "no booking, no entry" policy.

As to the operational capacity, only 50 percent of the resort’s capacity will be allowed to maintain the required physical distancing.

Meanwhile, Cariaga said the local government is planning to lift the 24-hour liquor ban as they set to allow establishments to sell liquor. She, however, said liquors should not be consumed in public and even on resorts.

Beach resorts started the resumption of their operation on August 1, 2020, while tourism activities such as island hopping, scuba diving and aqua sports activities resumed on September 16.

Tourism activities on the island were suspended on December 18, 2020, in anticipation of the influx of tourists who wished to celebrate Christmas in Samal.

The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) approved the request of the Igacos government to reopen its tourism industry.

In a news report from state-owned media PTV Davao on Tuesday, February 23, 2021, Uy confirmed that the IATF granted their appeal to allow the gradual reopening of the island to tourists under a limited capacity after submitting their appeal to the national IATF.

Only resorts and other tourism-related establishments accredited by the local government and the Department of Tourism will be allowed to operate, he said.

Uy added that tourists outside Davao Region will also be allowed to visit Samal, but they must abide by the imposed requirements.

"Kadtong sa mga (Those from) outside Davao Region, they will go through the antigen test. Isa pud na sa gi-unsa pud sa IATF sa amoa (These were the regulations that the IATF ordered us to implement). Anyway, ang (the) antigen, ang mag-conduct ana [is] ang city unya libre na siya (will be provided by the city for free)," he said.

Shallow Gimmick and Samal Island

By friendly permission of Mindanao Daily Mirror, where I am also writing my regular column "In My Opinion", I like to share with you the Editorial from February 18, 2011:

Shallow gimmick

The local government of the island Garden City of Samal has come up with a gimmick ostensibly to entice more tourists, specially foreigners, to visit the island city and enjoy the amenities offered by beach resorts therein. The booklet, shaped and designed like a passport, will be available at the Davao International Airport, overland transport terminals, and malls in Davao City.

At first blush, the "passports" look great as tourism, particularly, beach resort operation, and is the island's main industry. Scheduled for release next month , the booklet contains discount coupons of beach resorts, a list of activities and other tourism information guides. so says Nelson Aquino, officer-in-charge of the IGACOS tourism office. Some 30 beach resorts are operating in the island most of which are located along the coastline facing Davao City.

On closer look, the "passport" is nothing bunch a shallow gimmick and an empty gesture to welcome visitors. The local government's effort to attract more tourists to the island will be more meaningful and significant if it revises, better yet repeal altogether, the controversial revenue ordinance that imposes heavy fees on users of the island's recreational facilities as well as plain visitors.

Anyone who goes to Samal Island even for a short visit is charged with an entrance fee of 5 Pesos. In all likelihood, it is the only place in the world that imposes an entrance fee for visitors. That's only for starters. The so-called environmental user's fees also include: Island hopping or plain sightseeing: 20 Pesos per person per day; strolling at mangrove board walk: 20 Pesos person; mountaineering: 20 Pesos per person; spelunking: 25 Pesos per person; extreme adventure sports: 30 Pesos per person; snorkeling or scuba-diving: 50 Pesos per person; photo documentation: 500 Pesos per day; research: 500 Pesos per group; and video documentation: 1,000 Pesos per day.

Noting the unfriendliness and oppressiveness of the ordinance to beach resort users, resort owners and operators have filed a suit before the Regional Trial Court in Panabo City seeking to declare the new revenue code as unconstitutional. The local government's imposition of exorbitant fees to users of beach resort facilities is one sure way of driving away tourists.