THE Provincial Government of Benguet has provided P500,000 worth of financial assistance to the Provincial Government of Abra in support of its relief operations for the families affected by the July 27 earthquake.
According to Benguet Governor Melchor Diclas, the fund was sourced from the province’s Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) trust fund.
According to Abra Provincial DRRM Officer Arnel Valdez, even today, there are Abra residents who are still setting up and residing in tents and other such shelters as their homes are in slide-prone areas, a risk when the province continues to experience aftershocks.
“They can go back to their fields and visit their homes to tend to their animals, but they cannot sleep there.” Valdez said.
According to him, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology team, who earlier stayed in Abra for a week, said it will take as long as one year for the province to stop experiencing aftershocks.
Board Member Alexander Fianza, Sangguniang Panlalawigan chair on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management; Jessie Domeris, LDRRMO III; and Silver Pilo from the office of Governor Diclas turned over the said donation to the LGU of Abra on September 20.
