Army donates P10 million for quake victims

November 15, 2019

The Philippine Army donated almost P 10 million pesos to help the victims of recent earthquakes in Mindanao.

Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala, Philippine Army spokesman, said "after collecting donations from every soldier’s two meal allowances, the Philippine Army (PA) officially turns over the collected amount which will be used to purchase land where temporary shelters will be constructed for the Mindanao earthquake victims."

Zagala said Army Commanding General Lt. Gen. Macairog Alberto led the ceremony of handing over the donation to 10th Infantry Division Commander Maj. Gen. Jose Faustino, Jr. and Disaster Response Task Force Commander Brig. Gen. Rodolfo Lavadia Jr. on Thursday.

"The initiative aims provide support to internally displaced individuals currently staying in evacuation centers, which are mostly schools," he said.

"The donation will be allotted to purchase an estimated 4.9 hectares of land and materials for the construction of Kobe-type houses. Each house will cost around P50,000 and can accommodate seven persons," he added.

Zagala said Alberto expressed hope their donation will lift morale of the victims.

“In these trying times, we are in solidarity with the people of Mindanao. The funds donated will be used to purchase a lot and build one hundred homes where the evacuees can transfer to, so that the children can use the schools,” said Alberto.

“Through our donations, we hope that these will somehow uplift the morale of the people. We urge everyone to extend whatever assistance they can in keeping with the Filipino 'bayanihan' spirit,” he added.

Zagala said last Tuesday, "soldiers from the 534th Engineer Construction Battalion have built a prototype of the temporary shelter."

"Sixty percent of the households in Makilala, North Cotabato were destroyed due to the earthquakes. Eight out of 38 barangays of the municipality were also declared as “no-build zones” and was recommended by the Philippine Institute for Volcanology and Seismology and the Mines Geosciences Bureau  as uninhabitable while aftershocks are still recurring," he said. Robina Asido/DMS