The Provincial Government of Negros Occidental is donating P2 million in cash assistance to Bogo City, Cebu, which was recently devastated by a Magnitude 6.9 earthquake.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson made the announcement on Monday, October 6, and urged local executives to follow suit. “I am encouraging local government units in Negros Occidental to make donations to earthquake-hit areas in Cebu if their budgets will allow it,” Lacson stated.
In addition to the provincial aid, Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya confirmed last week that the city government would also provide a separate donation to Cebu, though the final amount is yet to be determined.
Earlier, the provincial government has sent the Negros Response Team, a composite group of personnel from the provincial government and nine local government units (LGUs) to provide assistance to the quake victims. These LGUs include San Carlos City, Sipalay City, Silay City, Sagay City, Cadiz City, Talisay City, Escalante City, Victorias City, and Toboso.
According to Irene Bel Ploteña, head of the Negros Occidental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO), the team has been primarily focused on critical needs. As of October 5, the response team had distributed 92,100 liters of potable water to 4,605 individuals, or 921 families, in Cebu.
The main contingent of the response team to return to Negros Occidental on Friday, however, the team from Victorias City, which arrived in Cebu on Monday, will likely stay on the ground for a longer period.
