Naga extends aid to Seniang affected towns

CEBU, Philippines – The City of Naga extended financial aid of P100,000 each to the four southern Cebu towns affected by last month's typhoon Seniang.

Mayor Valdemar Chiong, together with the city's officials, personally handed out the check bearing P100,000 to  Mayor Nelson Garcia of Dumanjug, Mayor Mariano Blanco III of Ronda and Mayor Beatriz Caburnay of Alcantara.

Chiong said the amount would be used to "help rebuild" these towns after these were battered by typhoon Seniang last December 29. These towns sustained heavy damage while Ronda lost at least 13 of its residents to typhoon Seniang.

Chiong said he will meet with Mayor Lionel Bacaltos of Sibonga to hand over the check, as his town was also badly affected by the typhoon. Sibonga's Dumlog Bridge collapsed making it impassable to vehicles and human traffic. It was just recently repaired by the Department of Public Works and Highways.

The mayor said the financial assistance was charged to the city's calamity funds.

In November 2013, the city gave P1.2 million and food packs and relief goods to the Yolanda-hit towns in the northern Cebu. Chiong led the convoy of several LGU mayors from the south to deliver the relief goods to 15 northern towns affected by Yolanda.

The city also helped the Province of Bohol by giving a P1-million aid to it after the October 15, 2013 earthquake, and a separate aid to Northern Luzon, Cagayan de Oro, Iligan and Negros Oriental towns which were similarly affected by typhoons and earthquake.

"We have always been extending a hand to those LGUs in need to at least help them fast track their recovery and move on, " Chiong said. — (FREEMAN)