Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said he and members of the Visayan bloc in Congress gave personal donations for the victims of the magnitude 7 earthquake that hit Northern Luzon on July 27.
He sent his donation through Congress, which launched a fundraising drive, Benitez said on Monday, August 1.
“The Visayan bloc organized a fundraising drive and we asked for P50,000 from each one, “ he said.
The representatives of Negros Occidental and Bacolod in the House are members of the Visayan bloc.
The Negros Occidental and Bacolod City governments have not sent donations yet.
Benitez said “considering that the president went there personally, I think they have enough to address the concerns of the earthquake so the need for the city to help out may not be needed.”
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said they are looking into the damage.
“If we feel that the damage is extensive we can give financial assistance,” Lacson said.*