CEBU CITY -- Donations poured in during the second benefit concert organized on Saturday in this city for survivors of the October 15 earthquake.The first benefit concert, held at the Ayala Terraces last October 20, raised P1.3 million in cash donations and pledges. Volunteers also collected sacks of rice, gallons of water, canned goods and other essential items. Private sector involvement continues to raise cash and goods to help survivors of the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck Bohol, Cebu, and four other Visayan provinces last October 15. Of those displaced, 357,018 are in Bohol, where the epicenter of the quake and nearly all of its 2,820 aftershocks were located. As of last night, an estimated P45.90 million in assistance has been given away by the health and social welfare departments, the local governments and non-government organizations, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Monitoring Council (NDDRMC) reported. The biggest donor was SM Prime Holdings Inc., which gave P500,000. SM Prime Holdings Inc. vice president Marissa Fernan said the funds raised will be spent on relief operations in Bohol. Goods The UC, represented by university chancellor Candice Gotianuy, will ship the relief goods to Bohol by the end of the month. Jusay Fishing has pledged to provide a vessel for the shipment. A booth selling #BangonSugBohol T-shirts also attracted shoppers. Jay Aldeguer, president and CEO of the Islands Group, said 6,000 #BangonSugBohol T-shirts have been sold since October 18. “Initially, the shirts were only limited editions sold at the concert but because of the demand, we decided to sell them at our stores as well,” Aldeguer said. All profits from the shirts, sold at P199 each, will go to relief efforts in Bohol. The Islands Group has partnered with Gawad Kalinga in bringing relief goods to the earthquake victims. “For now, we’re focusing on distributing relief goods. Maybe next week, we can start helping rebuild homes,” Aldeguer said. For her part, Fernan said they offered the venue for free after learning that organizers of the concert were looking for another mall to host the second concert. “We offered the venue even before the organizers could ask us,” she said. “Our suppliers are also generous enough to provide us the lights, drapings and the screens.” More than 500 local artists performed for free at the SM City Cebu North Wing during the eight-hour “We Will Rise Again” concert of the #BangonSugBohol Movement. The concert, spearheaded by SM City Cebu and the University of Cebu (UC), raised P1.7 million and participants filled donation booths with sacks of rice, gallons of water, bags of clothes, and other relief goods.
Posted on: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 05:00:22 +0000
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