Cebu comes to the aid of 'Sendong' victims

MANILA, Philippines - A total of P13 million was turned over by the Cebu provincial government over to the cities and municipalities hit by massive floods and landslides in Northern Mindanao and the Visayas.

Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia recently visited her fellow Visayans in Negros Oriental as well as the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan to personally give the financial assistance to the local government units concerned and relief goods to the victims of tropical storm “Sendong,” which swept through southern Philippines, damaging properties and affecting lives.

A total of P3 million was given to four municipalities and cities in Negros Oriental, which she visited last Jan. 10.

Garcia handed P1 million to Tanjay City Mayor Lawrence Teves while the president of the League of Municipalities-Cebu, Dumanjug Mayor Nelson Garcia, and Alegria Mayor Emilita Guisadio also gave their share in the form of financial assistance.

Garcia also gave P1 million to Dumaguete, while Mayor Garcia pitched in P100,000 and Bantayan Mayor Ian Christopher Escario, P50,000.

Badian town also gave its share of P50,000 to the people of Dumaguete. 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.

“It is our duty to help,” said Garcia, adding that Cebu wanted to show its sympathy to Negros Oriental in the aftermath of Sendong’s destruction.

Sibulan Vice Mayor Antonio Renacia, after receiving the check from Garcia, said the assistance was a great help, especially to the families who lost their houses.

Sibulan further received financial assistance of P50,000 and P15,000 from Dumanjug and Samboan towns, respectively.

Garcia personally leads the relief distribution for the disaster victims.

In Valencia, Negros Oriental, Mayor Ricky Gonzales received the check from the Cebu provincial government, plus P25,000 from Alegria town, P50,000 from Dumanjug, and P15,000 from Samboan.

Gonzales said the financial assistance would be used to help the victims of Sendong in his town.

Last Dec. 27, Garcia, along with the members of the Cebu provincial board, went to Iligan and Cagayan de Oro to personally turn over checks worth P5 million as financial assistance.

Iligan City Mayor Lawrence Lluch Cruz and Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Vicente Emano received the checks from Garcia.

They also received checks from Cebu town mayors who contributed P1.1 million, and another P10,000 from the Cebu Provincial Health Office.

Both mayors said the financial assistance from Cebu province was the biggest they have received so far.