Sara Duterte party gives P5-M aid to Jolo fire victims

DAVAO CITY – City Mayor Sara Duterte and other officers of Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) party on Thursday handed P5 million cash assistance to thousands of residents displaced by a massive fire in Jolo, Sulu, the mayor’s spokesperson said.

Duterte and governors Claude Bautista and Anthony del Rosario of Davao
Occidental and Davao del Norte, respectively, flew to the island-province to give the financial aid to more than 20,000 people made homeless by the July 25 blaze that razed about 3,000 houses in at least three villages, said city information officer Jeffrey Tupas.

“The money, which may be used to fund the construction of homes for the fire victims, was pooled by Davao region local government units (LGUS), namely, Davao City and the provinces of Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental and Davao Occidental,” Tupas said in a statement.

Each LGU shelled out P1 million from its calamity funds, he said.

Aside from the cash assistance, the HNP also gave school bags and school supplies for the student fire survivors, the city spokesperson said. “Davao region will always be a friend to everybody, without distinction and political color,” Tupas quoted Mayor Duterte as saying.

He said HNP handed the cash aid to Jolo Mayor Kherkher Tan, in a turnover witnessed by Sulu Vice Gov. Hja. Nurunisah Abubakar Tan, former Gov. Dr. Sakur Tan, and other Sulu officials. FRINSTON LIM