Mister President, with the indulgence of the author and sponsor, I would like to ask to be made co-author and co-sponsor of Senate Resolution No. 480 taking into consideration Senate Resolutions Nos. 483, 487 and 498.
I am one with my colleague/s in the expression of our profound sympathies in the death of thousands of people, including two Filipinos, in the aftermath of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on February 6, 2023.
According to Our World in Data, “natural disasters kill on average 45,000 people per year, globally.” [1] “Historically, droughts and floods were the most fatal disaster events. Deaths from these events are now very low – the deadliest natural disaster today tend to be earthquakes.“[2]
Unfortunately until now, we cannot predict earthquakes. But we can make steps to better prepare ourselves, our homes, our communities and our nation in the event of this inevitable and inescapable natural occurrence.
Preparation always saves lives and cuts down casualties, fatalities and miseries. Lalo na’t inaasahan na po natin ang muling paggalaw ng west valley fault na tinatayang magdudulot ng 7.2 magnitude na lindol. Kaya tama lamang po na patuloy nating paghandaan ito kasama ng ating paghahanda sa iba’t iba pang kalamidad.
Muli po, ang ating pakikiramay sa pamilya ng ating dalawang Pilipinong nasawi, at pati na rin sa pamilya ng libo-libong tao na namatay sa lindol na ito sa Turkey at sa Syria.
Salamat po Mister President.
[1] https://ourworldindata.org/natural-disasters
[2] https://ourworldindata.org/natural-disasters#number-of-deaths-by-type-of-natural-disaster