Capitol to give P.5M to Leyte

CEBU, Philippines - The Province of Cebu is set to release next week assistance in the amount of P500,000 to help landslide victims in the Municipality of St. Bernard, Southern Leyte.

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia yesterday said that the amount is proportionate to the extent of damages and the amount of previous assistance given to other provinces hit by calamity.

Garcia did not set the amount when she announced early this month the readiness of the Province to help when the calamity occurred.

Based on the assessment conducted by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, some affected families are confined in four barangays of the said municipality.

“Atong gi-proportio-nate to the extent of damage and the amount of previous financial assistance that we had extended to other places,” she told reporters yesterday.

Capitol consultant and spokesperson Rory Jon Sepulveda told Garcia that Mayor Rico Rentuza has requested for an appointment to visit Capitol.

Garcia said she had only talked to Governor Damian Mercado, who thanked her of her announcement to give the assistance. Mercado agreed to release the aid directly to the Municipality of St. Bernard.

“Let the municipality spend what is most needed,” Garcia said.

Garcia extended the amount of P1 million to the Province of Southern Leyte when the tragedy struck in the entire barangay Guinsaugon, also in St. Bernard, on February 2008.

Continuing downpour which lasted over several days has resulted in the death of at least three children and the loss of properties of some families in the affected areas. (FREEMAN)