Bohol raises money, relief goods for Sendong victims

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines  – The government and the private sector have launched a fund raising and relief drive to extend assistance to the victims of storm Sendong that destroyed the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan in Mindanao.

The provincial government is set to appropriate some half million pesos from its calamity fund to be divided into two for the two cities, which were the hardest hit by the tragedy, said provincial administrator Alfonso Damalerio II.

Damalerio said that the fund-raising will be conducted simultaneously with the Philippine Red Cross-Bohol chapter.

Provincial Board Member Josephine Socorro Jumamoy told in a separate interview of her plan to file during today’s session a resolution for the financial assistance, and authorizing Gov. Edgar Chatto to allocate the money from the raised fund.

Others in the private sector have also initiated their own separate fund and relief campaign, together with two radio stations here.

A group of Dr. Severino Virador of Cebu City also planned to send medical volunteers to Cagayan de Oro, according to his brother Alex Virador.

Boholanos, like the Polinar and Nolasco families, were very much concerned about the fate of their relatives in that city where thousands of lives were lost to the disaster. (FREEMAN)