Acting Bacolod Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson yesterday said the city has reactivated its Bacolod Cares program and is proposing an allocation of about P1 million for the flood victims in Manila and Luzon.

Heavy monsoon rains that triggered a landslide incident Tuesday morning in Bayanihan Street, Brgy. Commonwealth, Quezon City had claimed the lives of a family of nine who have roots in Bacolod City.

The fatalities were identified as Jayson Baylon, 16, Jayvee Baylon, 20, Jissele Baylon, 7, and Cecilia Baylon, 29, Jonathan Castulo, 3, Junica Castulo, 3 weeks old, Jessica and Jethro Baylon and Joshua Castulo.

Jeanna Baylon of Brgy. Granada, Bacolod City yesterday said in an interview over ABS CBN that they heard about the news and are grieving for the family of her brother, Jessie Baylon, because they could not help them.

Jessie is now confined at the East Medical Avenue Center and is in stable condition.

Jeanna said the government should be blamed for the tragedy because it allowed the residents to stay in the area knowing it was dangerous.

A TV report yesterday said the residents had been offered a relocation site by the government but they refused to transfer.

Meanwhile, Sayson said the city will put up an assistance desk at the lobby of the Bacolod City Government Center to accept donations for the flood victims in Luzon.

He said they are being encouraged to send cash donations as it will be easier for the affected local government units to buy the items needed by the flood victims, like food, clothing and medicine.

Sayson said the proposed P1 million budget from the city will be distributed to the affected provinces in Luzon and will be sent directly to their LGU’s.

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said the Bacolod Cares project to be undertaken by the city and private sector is a way of helping those in need and thanking the Almighty that the city has been spared from these calamities.

Leonardia said he will sit down with Sayson when he arrives from Bangkok tomorrow, and that after an assessment by Disaster Risk Reduction and Management head Joemarie Vargas in the number of people affected, they will finalize the amount they will allocate for the flood victims in Luzon.

“We must make it an institutionalized practice to help our brothers and sisters affected by natural calamities,” Leonardia also said.

Meanwhile, Bacolod Rep. Anthony Golez Jr. called for prayers and support for the victims of torrential rains the past few days that put most parts of Metro Manila in deep flood, a press release from his office said.

Golez said “I know that this weather abnormality is part of the disastrous effects of worsening climate change the world over, this is why we must help strengthen the government’s disaster risk reduction program especially on the village level,” the press release said.*CGS

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