Echiverri urges city mayors to donate P1 M each to flood victims

MANILA, Philippines - Caloocan City Mayor and League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) chairman Enrico Echiverri said yesterday Caloocan has donated P1 million for the victims of tropical storm “Sendong” and he urged his counterparts in LCP member-cities to donate P1 million each.

According to Echiverri, the P1 million donated by Caloocan will be split between Cagayan de Oro City and Iligan City.

“Each city will receive P500,000. I enjoin my fellow mayors in LCP to live by the meaning of Christmas by providing financial assistance to the victims of Sendong. Hopefully through this we will be able to impart the true spirit of unity to our countrymen,” he said.

President Aquino declared a national state of calamity yesterday after Sendong devastated 13 provinces. The death toll from the flash floods neared 1,000 as of yesterday afternoon and scores of people are still missing, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Echiverri said rather than spend on Christmas parties, it would be better for city mayors whose areas were not affected by the tropical storm to donate money to the ongoing relief efforts for Sendong victims.

Among the immediate needs of the Sendong victims are potable water, food, clothes, blankets, medicines, sleeping mats, portable toilets, wood and construction materials with which to rebuild their homes.

Meanwhile, Caloocan Rep. Mitch Cajayon called on the government and private sectors to cancel their scheduled Christmas parties and donate the money to help the victims of the storm.

“Every peso that we can give can make a big difference in rebuilding the lives of the affected families,” she said.

Cajayon also urged the public to donate their money to the Philippine Red Cross and other relief organizations instead of purchasing firecrackers for the New Year celebration.