28 Visayan bloc solons raising funds for victims

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines —  The 28-member Visayan Bloc in the House of Representatives is now raising more financial aid for victims of Yolanda, especially in Tacloban and other badly-hit areas in Central Visayas, Negros Occidental, according to Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (3rd district, Negros Occ.).

Benitez said the Visayan Bloc congressmen have convened to assess the situation and agreed to access all possible sources of assistance for the nine districts in need of the most assistance.

Representative Jerry Treñas (Iloilo City), lead convenor of the Visayan Bloc, said the nine districts they are assisting are those of Reps. Damian Mercado (Southern Leyte), Ben Evardone (Eastern Samar), Lucy Torres Gomez (4th dist., Leyte), Antonio del Rosario (1st dist., Capiz), Pablo Javier (Antique), Arthur Defensor Jr. (3rd dist., Iloilo), Teodoro Haresco Jr. (Aklan), Benhur Salimbangon (4th dist. Cebu) and Rene Relampagos (Bohol).

For his district, Benitez said he requested Talisay City Mayor Eric Saratan to spearhead efforts of local government units in mobilizing relief assistance for the Yolanda victims.

Over the weekend, Benitez visited areas affected by the typhoon in the 3rd district to assess damages and mobilized relief assistance provided by his congressional district office in various evacuation centers and other places where emergency assistance was needed. 

Meanwhile, among the affected LGUs in Negros Occidental, Cadiz City was the worst hit. Cadiz City Mayor Patrick Escalante said the damage in the city has reached P200 million, where close to 20,000 houses were either damaged or destroyed.

Cadiz City has declared a state of calamity. Benitez said, adding that the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. has sent P500,000 in relief goods to this city.  (FREEMAN)