Taguig City recently distributed emergency Go-bags to 52 public schools to boost disaster preparedness and ensure that teachers and students are ready to respond in times of calamity.
Mayor Lani Cayetano led the distribution of Emergency Go-Bags on Oct. 6 at Pembo Elementary School in Barangay Pembo, joined by Vice Mayor Arvin Ian Alit, Taguig-Pateros Rep. Ricardo “Ading” Cruz Jr. and Taguig 2nd District Rep. Jorge Bocobo, and members of the City Council. Teachers, students, and school administrators also attended the event.
Each Go-bag contains essential items for both natural and man-made disasters, including a flashlight, whistle, first-aid supplies, alcohol, masks, and a printed set of emergency guidelines.
In her message, Cayetano emphasized the importance of preparedness and collective responsibility in saving lives:
“We are gathered here today for one particular purpose — and that is to ensure that in schools, during an emergency or disaster, man-made or natural, there are Go-bags that the students can use to help them survive any eventuality.”
The mayor likened Taguig’s proactive efforts to the story of Noah, who built the Ark before the flood came.
“There was no flood when Noah built the Ark. There was no rain yet, but he already took action. Because he knew that the only true way to care was to not wait for the problems to occur before helping others.”
Pembo Elementary School Principal Ryan De Una said the project is timely and vital for the protection of students:
“This project is truly timely for our City of Taguig. First of all, for the sake of our citizens, particularly for our children in schools. They will directly benefit from this project. Thank you very much, for this will be of great help when that time of need comes.”
Teachers also welcomed the initiative, noting that the Go-bags will help them act swiftly and systematically during emergencies:
“This is very valuable because we don’t know when disasters happen. When there are Go-bags at hand, we can act on the kids’ safety more swiftly, and we can perform our duties better as teachers,” said Miraflor Inarda.
The Go-bag initiative also strengthens disaster-response protocols taught during school drills, such as “drop, cover, and hold” during earthquakes, and organized evacuation and first-aid response afterward. It highlights that preparedness is the best defense before any disaster, reminding families and institutions to keep a ready Go-bag for survival.
Cayetano said the program is part of Taguig’s “Transformative, Lively, and Caring (TLC)” city agenda, which promotes a culture of readiness and care for the community:
“The Go-bag isn’t just a bag. It’s a symbol of our readiness, safety, and hope.”
All images courtesy of the I Love Taguig Facebook page