BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negrenses have responded to the call of the Philippine Coast Guard Southern Visayas District to help those badly-hit by the series of typhoons in the Bicol region and Cagayan in Luzon.
About two truckloads of relief goods, including blankets, mosquito nets, towels, bottled water, and used clothing gathered by PCG-Southern Visayas District and PCG Auxiliary in Negros Occidental, were loaded on Coast Guard ship BRP Batangas, at the Bredco Port in Bacolod City yesterday.
The Boy Scouts of the Philippines- Negros Occidental also sent relief goods for distribution to typhoon-affected areas in Luzon.
Coast Guard Capt. Eduardo De Luna, PCG-Southern Visayas District chief, said yesterday that they still accept relief goods for transport to Manila.
The Coast Guard ship is also collecting relief goods from its various units in the Visayas and Mindanao.
The provincial government of Negros Occidental had earmarked P4 million in financial assistance to Albay, Catanduanes, Isabela and Cagayan.
The Bacolod City government also allotted P2 million in assistance, and organized a donation drive to facilitate private sector donations in kind for typhoon-struck provinces, particularly Isabela, Cagayan, and Tuguegarao.*GPB