Lawmakers to donate P1M to earthquake victims

Thursday, February 9, 2012

MEMBERS of the House of Representatives will donate around P1 million to victims of the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck Negros and Cebu islands Monday.

Of the amount, P500,000 will come from Negros Occidental Representative Alfredo “Albee” Benitez”.

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The other half of the donation will come from the other convenors of Movement 188, a group composed of the 188 lawmakers who signed the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Movement 188 convenors who will also contribute to the fund are Representatives Maricar Zamora-Apsay (Compostella Valley), Joy Bernos (Abra), Florencio "Bem" Noel (An Waray party-list), Rodel Batocabe (Ako Bicol party-list), Ben Evardone (Eastern Samar), Cesar Sarmiento (Catanduanes), Mel Sarmiento (Western Samar), Roger Espina (Biliran), Maximo Dalog (Mountain Province), Roy Loyola (Cavite), Carlo Lopez (Manila), Leo Ocampos (Misamis Occidental), Rene Relampagos (Bohol), and Nancy Catamco (North Cotabato).

"While Movement 188 is primarily pushing for structural reforms in our society to strengthen democratic institutions, we cannot ignore the urgent needs of victims of calamities," the group said.

The donation will be turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Aside from the Movement 188, House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and representatives of districts in Western Visayas will contribute to the P1-million fund.

For its part, Philippine Airlines (PAL) offered free shipment of donations for those affected by the deadly earthquake that struck Iloilo, Bacolod, Dumaguete and Cebu.

Airline president Jaime Bautista also instructed the PAL Foundation to again mobilize the airline's Disaster Response Initiative, overlapping an ongoing extended airlift of donations for victims of Tropical Storm Sendong in Cagayan de Oro and Dumaguete.

Donations from non-profit organizations will be accepted until March 15 this year for immediate loading by PAL cargo on all regular flights to the four cities.

Priority will be given to non-bulky, lightweight relief goods such as water purifying supplies and equipment, ready-to-eat food, clothing and medicines.

PAL will only accept goods from shippers with counterpart non-government organizations (NGO) at point of destination who will receive the donation.

The carrier uses the twin-engine A320 aircraft, with a seven-ton-cargo capacity, to Iloilo, Bacolod and Dumaguete, while the wide-body jets – Airbus A330, with 22-ton-cargo capacity; A340, 23-ton-cargo; and B747, 24-ton-cargo – flies nine times daily to Cebu.

On Wednesday morning, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) recorded 26 fatalities, all from Negros Oriental.

The fatalities include 13 in Guilhungan City, four in Jimalalud, three in Tayasan, one each in Bindoy, Bais, and Ayungon, and three in La Libertad.

The NDRRMC also recorded 52 people who were injured and 71 others who remain missing. (Kathrina Alvarez/Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)