Vigan gets helping hand
Hsu expressed Taiwan’s sincere compassion and sympathies to the victims and their families hit by the calamity
The government of the republic of china (Taiwan) donated USD $100,000 to help Vigan city repair damaged cultural and historical structures damaged by the July earthquake in Northern luzon.
To recall, the northern part of luzon was jolted by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake which adversely affected and damaged key cities and municipalities, including the cultural and historical structures in Vigan city.
on behalf of the government of Taiwan, representative Peiyung Hsu of the Taipei economic and cultural office in the Philippines donated the cash aid to Vigan city at a handover ceremony on 21 November 2022, to assist the city repair, reconstruct, rehabilitate and restore damaged structures.
Vigan Mayor Jose “Bonito” c. Singson Jr., together with city councilors and officials, accepted the donation on behalf of Vigan city at the city Hall. Governor Jeremias Singson of the Heritage Province of ilocos Sur was present to witness the donation.
As the closest neighbor of the Philippines, the people of Taiwan sympathize with the victims adversely affected by the earthquake while Hsu expressed Taiwan’s sincere compassion and sympathies to the victims and their families hit by the calamity, and indicated that the project involves public safety, heritage conservation, and revitalization of the city’s economy at the initial phase of recovering from the onslaught of the covid-19 pandemic.
Hsu also sincerely hoped that the damaged cultural and historical structures could be restored as soon as possible.
Vigan is a city that preserves the most Hispanic culture and heritage in the Philippines. The Disaster risk reduction and Management council, the DPWH, the National commission for culture and Arts and the regional Post Damage and Needs Assessment Group estimated the cost of