AMID the chaos engulfing the Senate that is embroiled in a standoff over leadership, senators have separately called for a pause from the power play to better focus on the Mindanao communities affected by Monday’s magnitude 7.8 earthquake in Mindanao.
Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson on Monday called for a timeout in the power play in the Senate, and instead focus on prayers and assistance for communities.
Lacson said that amid the political noise in the Senate, attention must be directed to the suffering of Filipinos in the South in the aftermath of the disaster.
‘Let’s take a break from the Senate power play and pray for the people of Mindanao, especially the fatalities and the injured, as well as those whose properties were damaged and destroyed by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake this morning,’ he said on X.
On Monday morning, a magnitude-7.8 quake hit offshore Sarangani causing a wide swathe of destruction in Mindanao.
The Office of Civil Defense was reported as saying the death toll from the quake stood at 35 as of Monday evening, with over a hundred injured.
Authorities are still assessing the grave devastation wrought on homes and public infrastructure, including roads, bridges and schoolbuildings which were hit at the time when classes opened on Monday.
Sen. Francis Pangilinan echoed Lacson’s call for a pause and said his office was coordinating with disaster response agencies on the ground.
Pangilinan said they are particularly worried over communities in coastal areas that were hard-hit by the quake and tsunami in Sarangani and other parts of Mindanao.
He is pushing for interventions for schoolchildren who suffered trauma on their first day of school.
Also on Monday, Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano called for a pause from the political turf war, even as he remained in a standoff with the new majority bloc led by acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian.
Members of the Senate majority bloc have taken steps to help victims of the magnitude 7.8 quake that devastated parts of Mindanao on Monday and invited their colleagues from the minority to join them in this effort.
‘The Senate New Majority stands with the families and communities in Mindanao who are now facing the painful work of rescue, relief, rebuilding and recovery after the powerful earthquake,’ they said in a statement.
They said that they have agreed to donate one month’s salary to help those affected by the disaster.
‘As a personal contribution to the relief effort, members of the Senate New Majority are prepared to donate one month of our salary to help support affected communities,’ they said in the statement.
‘While this is a small contribution, we hope our colleagues in the minority will join us in this effort. After all, we are senators of all Filipino people. This is a moment when the Senate, whatever its internal divisions, can still speak through one act of shared compassion.’
As of early Tuesday, Office of Civil Defense deputy spokesperson Diego Mariano said that as of 6 a.m., the quake left at least 37 people dead, 456 people were injured, and four were reported missing.
It affected 17,689 families or 77,186 people. At least 5,343 families or 19,365 people are staying in evacuation centers.
Beyond the financial value of the contribution, the Senate New Majority sought to stress the emotional weight of the gesture for communities that are still dealing with fear, loss and uncertainty.
‘What we hope to give is not only financial assistance, but a clear message that Mindanao is not facing this burden alone,’ they said.
‘Naniniwala kami na ang unang hakbang ng sinserong pakikiramay ay ang ipaabot sa mga taga-Mindanao ang mensaheng handa ang pamahalaang tumulong sa oras ng pangangailangan,’ they added.
The group said the assistance should follow the needs identified by those on the ground, particularly in areas where families require basic supplies and temporary support while damage assessments continue.
‘Our contribution should go to immediate needs such as food, clean water, medicine, temporary shelter and other assistance identified by local communities and responders on the ground,’ they noted.
The Senate New Majority also widened its appeal beyond the chamber, urging Filipinos who are able to extend assistance to Mindanao through prayer, donations or other forms of help.
‘We ask the entire nation to keep Mindanao in their prayers and, where able, to give in any way they can, because in moments of calamity, every act of kindness becomes part of the country’s healing,’ they expressed.
The group said coordination with government agencies and local officials will be necessary to ensure that assistance supports both immediate relief and the longer process of restoring communities.
‘We will continue to coordinate with the proper national and local authorities to support relief, reconstruction and the safe restoration of essential services in affected areas,’ they added.