LEGAZPI CITY, Albay – The city government on Saturday, Sept. 27, pledged P500,000 financial assistance to Masbate City to support tropical cyclone ‘’Opong’’ recovery efforts.
“While Legazpi was spared from typhoon Opong’s wrath, our brothers and sisters in Masbate were not as fortunate. As a gesture of unity and ‘bayanihan,’ the City of Legazpi will provide P500,000 in financial aid to the City of Masbate,” Mayor Hisham Ismail said in a Facebook post.
The Office of the Civil Defense (OCD)-Bicol said Opong affected 435 families or 1,671 individuals here as of Saturday.
Four-hundred thirty-five families evacuated as floodwaters rose and their homes were damaged.
Authorities confirmed two fatalities here – a 16-year-old boy who was struck by a falling wall and a six-year-old child who drowned in floodwater while evacuating. Rescuers recovered the child’s body.
Ismail hopes that the assistance will fast-track Masbate City’s recovery and bring relief to affected families.
City officials thanked Legazpi City for the gesture, noting that the money will go a long way in addressing urgent needs such as food, shelter repair, and medical aid.