THE Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Davao has handed over donations to flood victims Monday afternoon, September 9.
The turnover ceremony was held inside the City Hall of Davao, wherein Chinese Consul General Li Lin formally turned over the purchased goods, which were sourced from a charity event the consul organized last Saturday, September 7. He said the event generated P180,000.
But he said the proceed of the charity event was just one-third of the overall donations, as the Consul had also donated around P2 million, and a private company also donated P500,000 and another P350,000 from the local Chinese community in the city.
"This is a joint effort because we want to help our family members who are affected by the flood," Lin said in an ambush interview.
He said the goods purchased include blankets, hygienic kits, and cooking utensils. School bags were also purchased for the children with water bottles, pencils, pencil boxes and colored pencil inside it for most of the affected flood victims had their school items submerged in flood waters.
He also said the city had personally requested to have it in goods.
He added the Consul had only spent half of the donated money, while awaiting the City Government's instruction of where to allocate the remaining collected donations.
"The city suggested to purchase the most needed goods rather than to donate it in cash," Lin said, adding they felt the local government's intention of having the donations distributed to the affected families.
Representing the City Government during the turnover ceremony were City Administrator Zuleika Lopez, Office of the City Mayor chief-of-staff Raul Nadela Jr., and City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO) head Maria Luisa Bermudo.
Lopez, in her speech, thanked the Chinese government for their continuous support especially in times of disaster.
She had also mentioned the foreign consul was the first to respond right after the Roxas Night Market incident three years ago in 2016.
Bermudo, meanwhile, said a total of 13,000 families coming from state of calamity-declared areas such as Los Amigos and Tugbok Proper of Tugbok District, Barangay Talomo of Talomo District, and Barangay Wangan of Calinan District, will be the recipient of these donations. (With reports from Stacy Claire Price, UM Intern)