The people of Davao through its City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Office (CDRRMO) have extended financial assistance amounting to PHP2 million to typhoon and earthquake victims in the province.

Retired Police Colonel Alfredo Baluran, chief of the CDRRMO in Davao City, personally turned over the cash check on Friday to the Ilocos Norte government represented by Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management officer Marcel Tabije.

“This is part of our mayor’s commitment to helping typhoon victims in areas under state of calamity,” said Baluran in a media interview in front of the Capitol here.

As an Ilokano himself because his family originated in Sarrat, Ilocos Norte before they migrated to Mindanao, Baluran said the financial assistance is meant to help in the immediate needs of the Ilocanos who were hard hit by Typhoon Neneng in the middle of October and a magnitude 6.4 earthquake that jolted Abra and neighboring provinces of Ilocos region last Oct. 25.

Through the initiative of Davao City mayor Sebastian Duterte, Baluran said it has been a practice of the city government to extend assistance to other cities or provinces hit by calamities. The city has assisted Abra, Aklan and Zamboanga, among others.

Tabije, for his part, thanked Davao for its efforts to assist the local residents here.

“The financial assistance will be of great help to our constituents,” said Tabije as he reported all areas affected by the recent typhoon and earthquake are now recovering with the support of various government institutions.

Last October, Ilocos Norte has been placed under a double state of calamity due to Neneng and a strong earthquake, damaging more than PHP225 million worth of damage to infrastructure. (PNA)