PIA Press Release
Thursday, January 05, 2012

Makati New Year event generates donations for 'Sendong' victims

MAKATI CITY, Jan. 5 (PIA) -- The local government on Tuesday said that donations poured in for the victims of ‘Sendong’ in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities during the New Year’s Eve Countdown held in the city.

Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin S. Binay said that in a span of eight hours from 5:00 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, a total of P43,095 in cash was turned over as donation together with two sacks, 26 big plastic bags, 18 assorted packs and a balikbayan box containing used clothes, blankets, jackets, mosquito nets, footwear, assorted canned goods, and bottled water.

“We greatly appreciate the enthusiastic response of kind-hearted people to our call for help to victims of typhoon Sendong. Even in the midst of the celebration, they went out of their way to share to those in need,” Binay said.

Aside from Makati residents, donors from Quezon City, Caloocan, Pasig, Pasay, and even foreigners responded to the appeal of Mayor Binay for assistance to Sendong survivors.

The mayor earlier aired an appeal to the countdown crowd and revellers to bring donations for Sendong victims. Since Dec. 21, the city had been accepting clothes, sweaters or jackets, blankets, and mosquito nets, and other donations in kind. On top of this, Makati released P4 million in cash for the victims in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.

Acting city administrator Marjorie A. de Veyra said reclassification and repacking of donated clothings and food items are continuously being done, and the goods are being readied for transport to the recipients.

De Veyra handled the Makati relief operations for Sendong victims immediately following the tragedy last Dec. 17, where they distributed 20,000 bags containing rice, bottled water, and canned goods to about 10,000 families in Cagayan de Oro, 5,000 families in Iligan, and some 5,000 families in Dumaguete.

She cited the zealous cooperation of city employees and Makati residents who heeded the call for help to somehow aid the survivors in coping with the tragedy. (ICRD/RJB/JCP-PIA NCR)