Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III on Thursday led a House of Representatives delegation to General Santos City and Sarangani Province to assess the impact of the recent earthquake, meet with local officials and regional agency heads, and identify immediate and long-term measures to assist affected communities.

During the visit, Dy announced that the House would shoulder the medical expenses of all individuals injured in the earthquake, whether they are receiving treatment in government or private hospitals.

The Speaker also assured affected families that additional assistance would be mobilized to help communities recover from the disaster.

“Sa ngalan po ng House of Representatives, amin pong taos-pusong ipinaaabot ang amin pong pakikiramay. Nandito kami para matiyak na katulad ng sabi po namin, sa lahat ng ospital na kakailanganin na related po sa earthquake ay titiyakin natin na zero balance yung ating mga kababayan na nasa loob ng mga ospital (In the name of the House of Representatives, we wholeheartedly expressed our sympathies. We are here to ensure that zero balance will be implemented in all hospitals for all earthquake victims,” Dy said in his message.

“At dapat madagdagan pa ng mga pondo para meron tayong kasiguraduhan at matiyak na malalampasan natin itong paghamon na tumama dito po satin, sa mga kababayan natin dito sa rehiyon na ‘to (And additional funds should be allocated to have certainty, and ensure that we can overcome this challenge that befell us, to our countrymen in this region).“

Upon his arrival in General Santos City, the Speaker inspected the General Santos International Airport, one of the region’s major transportation gateways, to assess its condition and operational readiness following the earthquake.

He later met with local government officials and regional agency heads to discuss the situation on the ground and ongoing response efforts.

He then proceeded to Alabel, Sarangani, where he visited the Emergency Response Center near the Provincial Capitol and received a briefing on the current crisis and emergency response efforts in the province.

Dy said members of the House delegation were conducting an on-site assessment of damaged infrastructure and public facilities to determine reconstruction requirements and ensure that funding needs would be reflected in the proposed 2027 national budget.

He also emphasized the importance of working closely with local legislators and officials to identify priority needs and ensure that assistance reaches affected communities.

“Tayo po ay nakikinig sa kanila kung ano po yung mga kakailanganin nila, at ganun naman patuloy din po ang ating koordinasyon sa kanila para matiyak na matulungan po natin yung mga nangangailangan (We will listen to them on what they need, and we will continue to coordinate with them to ensure that their needs are fully addressed),” he said.

He said the findings from the inspection would also help Congress identify priority funding requirements for reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts across affected communities, including hospitals, roads, bridges, and other key facilities. (PNA)