DOH releases P10-M for Davao blast victims

Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial on Tuesday said the Department of Health (DOH) has released P10 million in assistance for the victims of the Davao City blast that claimed 14 lives.

During the appropriations hearing of the DOH and its attached agencies’ proposed P144 billion budget for 2017, Ubial said she has ordered the finance head to release a P10 million assistance fund to the Southern Philippines Medical Center and other regional health offices in Davao City where the survivors of the blast were confined.

“I made an order to the finance to release P10 million to the Southern Philippine Medical Center and to the regional health offices in Davao City to attend to the needs of patients outside of the Southern Philippines Medical Center. As reported by our undersecretary of finance and administration, it was released yesterday,” Ubial said.

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An explosion rocked the Roxas boulevard night market Friday night, claiming 14 lives and leaving 67 wounded. Police are investigating a supposed alliance between drug lords and the bandit group Abu Sayyaf in the attack.

Police said the explosion was caused by a mortar round remotely detonated by a cell phone. The victims also sustained shrapnel wounds from the improvised explosive device.

The blast compelled Duterte to declare a state of national emergency. JE/rga

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