Cebu City prepares P50 million financial assistance for quake-hit areas in Luzon

By: Wenilyn B. Sabalo - 2 years ago

A heritage structure in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur is damaged by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake that hit Luzon on Wednesday morning (July 27). PHOTO COURTESY OF ARLENE GAJETON

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, in an online press conference on Tuesday, August 2, 2022, announced his directive to prepare P50 million as assistance to the earthquake-hit areas in Luzon last July 28, 2022.

“I already have a directive to prepare P50 million charged to the calamity funds, (as) our way to promote the big brother program especially, being the president as well of the 146 cities and including the component cities,” Rama, who is also the elected president of the League of Cities of the Philippines, told members of Cebu media.

Though he did not specify yet which local government units (LGUs) in Luzon will receive help from the City, he emphasized that these affected areas in Luzon are vital not only to Cebu City but to the entire country because of their historical significance.

Rama said even the would-be P50 million assistance from the City would not be enough when talking about the restoration of the damaged historical sites.

“We should approximate not the damage of the structure, but the damage of the soul of the people covering the effect of the earthquake,” he said.

According to Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro, the deputy administrator for operations of the Office of the Civil Defense, the magnitude 7 earthquake that struck Luzon on Wednesday caused infrastructure damage in the Cordillera and Ilocos regions worth at least P33.8 billion. /rcg

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Magnitude 7 earthquake leaves P33.8-B in damage to infrastructure

The Cebu City government also, earlier, said it will send a reconnaissance team to Ilocos Sur and other affected areas.

Harold Alcontin, the operation leader of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and a few members of the Quick Response Team will compose the reconnaissance team that will determine what kind of resources or assistance the earthquake victims may require on a top-priority basis. /rcg