‘We will consider’: Iloilo guv open to Go Bag idea for disaster preparedness

By Mariela Angella Oladive

Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. said he is open to the idea of providing “go bags” or emergency kits to residents as part of the province’s disaster preparedness efforts, but emphasized that such a program must align with the guidelines on the use of disaster funds.

“That is a good idea, so we will consider that, but we will see what can be done,” Defensor said in an interview.

“You know, when you use disaster funds, there is already a prescribed menu for how they can be spent, and many of the things we want to do may not be covered, so there are challenges,” he added.

A go bag is a portable emergency kit containing food, water, flashlights, medicine, first aid supplies, hygiene items, and other essentials.

These items help individuals stay self-sufficient during emergencies such as typhoons or earthquakes until help arrives or conditions improve.

Under Section 22 of the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, local government units are mandated to allocate at least five percent of their annual revenue for disaster risk reduction and management efforts.

Several LGUs, including Pasig City, Quezon City, Taguig City, and Nueva Vizcaya, have distributed emergency go bags to residents as part of their disaster preparedness program.

The discussion comes after a series of recent earthquakes felt across the country, including Iloilo and nearby provinces.

On September 30, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Bogo City, Cebu, followed by doublet earthquakes on October 10—a magnitude 7.4 and 6.8 doublet—that hit Manay, Davao Oriental.

For the meantime, Defensor said the provincial government is planning other safety measures, including the procurement of hard hats for staff and the construction of an external stairwell to ease congestion in the existing internal staircases and increase emergency exits at the 25-year-old, six-story Iloilo Provincial Capitol building on Muelle Loney Street in Iloilo City Proper.

In Iloilo City, Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu urged residents to take a self-help approach for now, saying the city government currently lacks the funds to provide go bags to every household.