PRO-7 organizes benefit concert for typhoon victims

CEBU, Philippines - The Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 will be staging a benefit concert today to further help victims of super typhoon Yolanda in the Visayas.

The "Bangon Visayas" concert will be held at the Mandaue City Sports Complex today, at 5pm, where at least 15 bands and other surprise guests will be presenting.

"Gusto lang ta mutabang. Maayo na lang ang malikom natong kwarta makatabang nila sa pagbangon," said Supt. Pablo Labra II, chief of PRO-7's Regional Intelligence Division who added that the activity was made possible through the help of the Mandaue City Government and the Nagkahiusang Sugbuanong Musikero.

For P100, spectators will get to enjoy alternative music while already helping out typhoon victims rebuild their homes, said Labra.

Labra also confirmed that PRO-7 and the most of the police offices in Central Visayas have decided to cancel their respective Christmas parties and instead donate the budget to the victims of the super typhoon.

Cebu City Police Office director Noli Romana said though that they will have a Christmas gathering but it will be made very simple.

Romana said that as Christians, they also want to celebrate Christmas with colleagues.He also intends to hold a fund-raising activity which proceeds will go to his personnel whose families were also affected by the typhoon and the 7.2 magnitude earthquake last October 15.

For their part, the Cebu Provincial Police Office  (CPPO) has yet to decide if they will be having a Christmas party, said Sr. Supt. Noel Gillamac, CPPO director.

Gillamac said he still needs to meet with his personnel on the matter.

"I still have to consult my personnel kay sa pagkakaron wala pa gyud mi maghuna-huna og Christmas party tungod sa ka-busy," he told The FREEMAN.

Supt. Rodolfo Albotra, Provincial Intelligence Branch chief said though that for him, it would be better not to have a Christmas party to sympathize for those who lost family members and homes due to the super typhoon.

He added that if they could generate the funds intended for the party to help typhoon victims as well as those who lost homes in Bohol due to the killer quake. — (FREEMAN)