Batanes musicians staging benefit show for Itbayat quake victims

BASCO, Batanes – The province’s musicians are gathering on Sunday night (July 28) to hold a benefit show for Itbayat town residents, who bore the brunt of last Saturday’s series of earthquakes and aftershocks.

The “Musikahilyan”  concert was organized by Ivatans who were born in Itbayat but who now reside in Basco.

The Itbayat word “kahilyan” means town mates.

The show, which will be held at 7 p.m. at the Rizal Park grounds here, was initiated by Xavier Mirabueno, a guitarist and owner of Casa Napoli here.

They hope to draw Basco residents and tourists, some of whom stayed to help in the relief operations.

Nine people have been confirmed dead in Itbayat when a magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck at dawn on Saturday.

After a series of aftershocks, a magnitude 5.9 magnitude quake struck.

Many residents stayed outdoors due to constant tremors throughout the night./gsg