“Mindanao is now. They need the attention now.”
Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday called for unity among government officials and the public, urging them to set aside political differences and focus on helping affected communities following the powerful earthquake that struck Mindanao on Monday.
The magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck near General Santos City on Monday morning, damaging buildings, triggering power outages, and leaving more than 10 people dead, according to disaster authorities.
The quake was felt across several parts of Mindanao, prompting rescue and relief efforts in affected areas.
Cayetano said the immediate priority should be assisting victims and supporting ongoing rescue, relief, and rehabilitation efforts.
“Let’s focus on Mindanao and on the relief and rehabilitation especially mayroong lives that are at stake now,” he said in a press conference.
The Senate President said members of his bloc have already started coordinating assistance and reaching out to contacts on the ground to determine how they can help affected communities.
Cayetano also stressed the need for cooperation among various sectors, saying humanitarian response should come first despite political differences.
He said he and his colleagues are prepared to work with the national government and other organizations to help deliver assistance to affected areas.
“We have to put faith into action, meaning there’s no help that is too small or too big,” Cayetano said.
While emphasizing that the focus should remain on immediate response efforts, Cayetano also renewed his call for the passage of the proposed Emergency Response Department (ERD) Act, a measure he has consistently filed for the past 12 years from the 16th Congress up to the current 20th Congress.
The proposed measure seeks to establish a centralized and proactive agency dedicated to disaster preparedness, emergency response, and rehabilitation.
According to Cayetano, a permanent department would allow faster coordination among government agencies and strengthen the country’s capacity to respond to major disasters.
“Wala tayong dapat conflict kung may kailangan ang ating bansa. Dapat tanggalin ang politika,” he said.