SENATOR Panfilo Lacson gave assurances that his administration will move people away from disaster-prone coastal municipalities if he is elected President.

Lacson said no family shall be left to fend for itself whenever natural calamities strike.

“Alam ninyo kung bakit inaalis natin ang ating mga kababayan sa coastal areas? Dahil disaster-prone. ‘Pag nagkaroon ng storm surge, maraming mamamatay, kaya mayroon tayong easement,” he explained.

Senatorial bet Dr. Minguita Padilla agreed with Lacson, adding that the government must consider building climate-resilient houses for families who will be asked to relocate.

She said this could be incorporated in plans to seek “climate justice” from nations identified as the biggest contributors of greenhouse gas emissions.

Lacson noted that the Philippines ranks fourth among nations most vulnerable to the effects of climate change such as violent storms and extreme flooding, based on the Global Climate Risk Index 2021 by Germanwatch, which the Climate Change Commission acknowledged last year.

“So, kailangan talagang bigyan natin ng sapat na lugar ‘yung mga nasa coastal areas nang sa ganoon ma-resettle man sila, ligtas sila at galing sa pamahalaan ang tulong papunta sa kanila,” the senator said.