BACOLOD City – The local government unit of this city will extend a financial aid to communities of Cotabato in Mindanao reeling from the destruction caused by a series of strong earthquakes recently.
“We are definitely involved to help,” said Mayor Evelio Leonardia.
Leonardia said that the financial assistance will come from the budget of the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO).
The mayor added that he talked already with Executive Assistant Joemarie Vargas, cluster head of the CDRRMO, to do some research in a since that they want to find out if how much the other local government units (LGUs) had given to Mindanao so that they have a benchmark.
“It is not necessary to say that we have to follow how much other LGUs gave,” Leonardia said.
Mindanao has been shaken by three consecutive earthquakes within the same location on October 16, 29 and 31, each compounding the effect of the previous one.
According to the National Risk Reduction and Management Council, the death toll from the last two earthquakes is now at 21 with over 400 people injured and an estimated more than 35,000 people displaced. Many families have been left homeless due to the destruction of their houses. /PN
