The town of Sagada, Mountain Province has initiated a relief drive for those affected by the fire that razed residential houses and establishments in Bontoc on April 11.
Individuals who want to help are being encouraged to drop their donations at the Emergency Operations Center located at the old municipal building, which was set up by the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to facilitate the relief drive.
The centralized donation hub was set up to also allow proper accounting of the donated items before these are turned over to donation centers in Bontoc. Cash donations may be sent through 0947-990-7044.
Individuals wanting to help are being asked to prioritize, among other things, clean clothes, sanitary pads, footwears, baby diapers, and clothes for babies 10 to 18 months old.
The fire that broke out early morning of April 11 in Barangay Poblacion, Bontoc affected 55 families or 114 individuals, who found temporary shelter at the All Saints Mission School and their relatives.
The MDRRMC reported 22 structures were totally burnt, 10 were partially damaged, and nine vehicles were damaged by the fire that broke out at 2:30 a.m. of April 11. The cause was still being investigated.
LGUs, groups, and individuals from all over the region have been reaching out to the affected families by donating cash and in-kind items.
In its Facebook account, the Bontoc local government said it has so far received P1,446,412 in cash donations as of April 13, which were coursed through the Municipal Treasury Office.
Line agencies have also activated their respective their emergency response centers to help in the relief operations in Bontoc.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development and its counterparts in the province have turned over P475,221 worth of assistance to the affected families.
The Office of the Civil Defense-Cordillera also augmented the relief operations for Bontoc through the distribution of non-food items from its warehouse in Mountain Province by the provincial and municipal DRRMCs.
The OCD-Cordillera said it was sending new sets of family packs, hygiene kits, and shelter repair kits for the remaining affected families and as a replenishment to the prepositioned non-food items in the town. – Jane B. Cadalig
