Go assures assistance to Catbalogan fire victims

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, May 10  -- Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, upon orders of President Rodrigo Duterte, visited victims of the Tuesday dawn fire that hit the city to deliver assistance and make sure that government aid have reached them.

Go, who arrived here late Thursday afternoon, gave out cash assistance to each of 269 families temporarily sheltered at the Samar National High School, Catbalogan I Elementary School, and village multi-purpose buildings.

“The President sent me here to check your situation. It’s good to hear that no one was hurt. The Presidential Management Staff and representatives from the national government agencies in the region are here to see what we can do to help you recover,” Go said in his brief speech at a covered court inside the Samar National High School campus.

The cash assistance is on top of food packs, shelter kits, flip flops that were distributed by Go and other government officials to fire victims.

Go, after meeting with the evacuees, immediately talked to a National Housing Authority official to provide houses to the victims who were rendered homeless by the fire.

Catbalogan Mayor Stephanie Uy Tan told Go that the fire victims asked for low-rise tenement housing.

The blaze, which gutted at least 300 houses in a populated coastal community along Del Rosario Street in Barangay 6, near the city’s commercial district, has an estimated damage of PHP6 million and displaced 1,345 individuals.

Go also continued with his regular "Sapatos ni SAP, Tsinelas ang ka- swap" shoe-giving program with one of the fire victims.

He swapped his personal shoes for a flip flop owned by one of male fire victims, similar to what he did when he visited fire victims in Manila last week and Cebu on Thursday morning.

The swapping of his shoes for flip flops and giving of personal belongings have become a regular highlight in the Presidential special assistant’s visits to anywhere in the country.

The fire victims were not the only ones eagerly waiting to ask for Go’s help.

Mayor Tan, who accompanied Go during the inspection of the fire site, also asked for the Palace official’s help regarding “concerns” about their Catbalogan airport.

She asked Go’s assistance to expedite the land acquisition for the airport and its improvement.

Her appeal prompted Go to immediately coordinate with Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade to expedite the mayor’s request.

Go also took the chance to explain to the media that he is just carrying out the instructions of President Duterte and is free from politics.

“There is no politics here since I have no plans to run for senator because I am not ready and I am not a politician. I just want to work and it’s up to God where He wants me to serve,” Go told reporters when asked about his political plans. (LAAA/RTA/PNA)