President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has committed close to P200 million in assistance to Cebu province and surrounding towns devastated by the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Bogo City earlier this week.
Marcos visited Bogo City on Thursday to personally assess the situation of affected families and announced direct financial aid to the hardest-hit areas. “We are donating P50 million to the province, sa Bogo City, Sogod, San Remigio, P20 million each… P10 million for Bantayan, Daanbantayan, Medellin,” he said. He added that other municipalities including Madridejos, Santa Fe, Tabogon, and Tabuelan would also receive P10 million each.
The Office of the President confirmed that the total cash donation for local governments amounted to P180 million. In addition, P20 million will be allotted to Department of Health hospitals for recovery efforts, while P5 million each will be extended to provincial hospitals.
Marcos further directed the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to release the Local Government Support Fund, saying, “Besides that ininstructionan ko ang DBM magrelease ng Local Government Support Fund in the amount of P150 million for the province of Cebu and P75 million for San Remigio, Bogo, and Medellin.”
Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman assured the public that funds would be released immediately and emphasized that her office is working with other agencies to ensure swift delivery of emergency services.
Meanwhile, the Cebu provincial government announced that no permit is needed for private groups or individuals transporting relief goods directly to northern Cebu. Relief donations turned over to the province will be received and logged at the Command Center to guarantee proper documentation and accountability.
Cebu remains under a state of calamity, with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reporting 72 confirmed deaths, though all are still under validation. The earthquake displaced 20,000 residents and affected over 170,000 individuals. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) recorded 2,461 aftershocks as of Thursday morning.
