CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Province is giving a total of P17.2 million in aid to the various local government units in the Province of Negros Oriental that were badly hit by 6.9-magnitude earthquake that hit the island last week.
Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia is set to go to the affected areas tomorrow to personally turn over the assistance to the local governments concerned.
The relief assistance comprising of food and other items amounting to P4.7 million have already been sent to Negros.
The cash assistance amounting to P12.5 million will be handed personally by Garcia.
Three mini-dump trucks were sent out to help deliver the goods to affected areas.
“Kita motabang gyud ta as much as we can, mas maayo nalang nga kita’y motabang kaysa kita’y tabangon,” (We will help as much as we can, it is better that we are the ones helping that the ones being helped) Garcia said.
Of the cash assistance, the provincial government of Negros Oriental will get P7 million, but Garcia said the P3 million that was set to be given as assistance for the floods late last year, which was not yet turned over would also be given.
This means, the province will get a total of P10 million.
The towns of Ayungon, La Libertad and Tayasan; and Guihulngan City will get P1 million each while the towns of Bindoy, Jimalalud and Vallehermosa will get P500,000 each.
Relief assistance such as NFA rice, sardines, instant noodles, bottled water and assorted medicines were already delivered to the local government units.
The Cebu provincial government purchased 2,850 sacks of rice from the National Food Authority, 605 cartoons of sardines, 585 boxes of instant noodles and 450 packs of bottled water.
According to the report of the Cebu Provincial Social Welfare Development Office, 107 barangays, 21,273 families with 93,382 individuals were affected by the earthquake.
There were 32 casualties, 31 missing, 1,411 houses totally destroyed and 1,564 houses partially damaged.
Last January, a total of P3 million was given to four municipalities and cities in Negros Oriental that were devastated by Typhoon Sendong.
Garcia handed P1 million to Tanjay City, P1 million to Dumaguete City, and the towns of Valencia and Sibulan also received P500,000 each from the Cebu provincial government.
Aside from the financial assistance, the Cebu provincial government sent 500 sacks of rice each to the cities of Dumaguete and Tanjay, and 250 sacks of rice each to Sibulan and Valencia towns. —/NLQ (FREEMAN)