DUMAGUETE CITY, Nov. 22 (PNA) -– The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) of Negros Oriental has approved the release of P6 million in relief assistance to Western Visayas and Eastern Samar that were devastated by the killer typhoon Yolanda last November 8.
The PDRRMC on Thursday passed a resolution giving P1 million in relief aid each for the Western Visayas provinces of Iloilo and Negros Occidental, said PDRRMC Executive Officer Adrian Sedillo.
Also, during the same meeting, the PDRRMC also realigned an earlier allocation of P4 million in relief assistance originally intended for Leyte to Eastern Samar instead, according to Sedillo.
Sedillo explained the realignment was made after observations of outpouring of relief aid to Tacloban City and Leyte province while Eastern Samar was still waiting for more donations.
Eight municipalities in Eastern Samar will receive P500,000 each, namely, Lawaan, Balangiga, Giporlos, Quinapondan, Salcedo, Mercedes, Hernani, and Balanghayan, all of Eastern Samar.
The financial assistance for Western Visayas and Eastern Samar will be taken from the 30-percent Quick Response Fund of the Negros Oriental provincial government’s calamity fund, said Sedillo.
Meanwhile, Sedillo and other PDRRMC members traveled to Cebu on Friday to deliver a P1-million relief assistance for that province that is still reeling from two calamities, namely, the Magnitude 7.2 earthquake off Bohol and typhoon Yolanda.
They also brought with them two truckloads of relief goods to be turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development Region 7 central office, Sedillo said.
In a related development, at least 16 or 17 six-wheeler trucks of relief goods from Cotabato are now en route to Iloilo via Dumaguete and Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.
The trucks were accompanied by Cotabato local officials and the provincial DSWD, said Lanete Sa-ad, administrative officer of the Dumaguete City DSWD who provided assistance to the group that is staying overnight in Dumaguete.
The trucks arrived from Mindanao on Friday and will travel by land via Negros Oriental on to Bacolod City in Negros Occidental and Iloilo on Saturday.
The group of about 50 individuals include a representative of the Cotabato governor, three Board Members and DSWD personnel, among others, Sa-ad said. (PNA)