Naga City gets P15 million aid
Naga City has received at least P10 million financial aid and donations in kind amounting to at least P5 million following the September 20 landslides.
The worth of donations in kind are those received on September 21, 24 and 25, which amount to P5,035,727. Goods received on other days are still being assessed for value.
The city treasurer’s office takes charge of monetary donations while the General Services Office handles donations in kind.
"The cash and checks are received by our city treasurer, properly receipted, and placed under the trust fund of the City of Naga," said Carmelino Cruz, Jr., manager of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and chief of the Naga City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office.
For transparency, the list of donors and the amount or particular items donated are posted regularly at the EOC stationed at the Naga City hall, as well as on the city's official Facebook page.
The Office of the City Treasurer specifically releases a daily report on cash and check donations with the name of individuals or organization and the corresponding amount they gave.
From September 21 to October 3, a total of P10,885,302 has been received by the city government.
The consolidated report of the cash and check donations showed that at least 314 individuals and organizations have made donations.
Donors are private organizations, businesses, schools, religious sector, hospitals, police, and local goverment units, among others.
Samboan donated P300,000; Minglanilla, P500,000; Talisay City, P1 million; Argao, P100,000; Lapu-Lapu City, P2 million; Badian, P100,000; Moalboal, P100,000; Dalaguete, P100,000; Cordova, P100,000; Santander, P100,000; Balamban, P100,000; Carmen, P100,000; Carcar City, P1 million; and Tabuelan, P100,000; among others.
There were also benefactors from abroad like Los Angeles, California and Washington in the U.S., and Toronto in Canada.
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma gave P35,000 while Senator Aquilino Pimentel III sent P100,000.
Among the biggest donors are Salcon Power Corporation (SPC) and KEPCO SPC wherein each gave P1 million.
Some of the cash donations were utilized to cover for expenses in transporting cadavers and as financial assistance to the bereaved families.
The city government gave P20,000 to the family of every person that died in the incident. DSWD also extended P25,000.
IN KIND
Meanwhile, the General Services Office takes charge of managing donations in kind – from acceptance to distribution to 11 evacuation centers where nearly 1,700 families are taking shelter.
GSO also supervises the 7,493 volunteers who have checked in from September 24 to October 2.
Cruz said the office is also coordinating with the regional Department of Social Welfare and Development personnel who provide technical assistance in manning the receiving desks.
On the walls at the EOC are several pages stipulating the summary of the donated relief goods, separating the food and non-food items, and to whom or which entity they were donated.
All donations received are recorded using a standard form and are categorized into food and non-food items, and labeled according to categories like hygiene kits, sleeping materials, and clothing, among others.
Food testing is also conducted to ensure the safety of the distributed food to the evacuees in order to prevent diseases.
Inventory follows an enhanced mechanism wherein all items received and released are logged.