Presidential-sister Pinky Aquino Abellada yesterday called for prayers for the residents of earthquake hit areas in Negros Oriental where continuing aftershocks are still causing damage.

“Up to now, damage is still happening, let us pray for our brothers in Guihulngan, La Libertad, Jimalalud and areas near the epicenter (of the magnitude 6.9 earthquake),” said Abellada, who was in Negros Occidental for the inauguration of classrooms.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology recorded 13 new aftershocks yesterday in Negros Oriental ranging from magnitude 1.9 to 4.6 with La Libertad, Mabinay Tayasan, Ayungon, Guihulngan, Jimalalud and Canlaon City as their epicenters.

Abellada, who heads Aklat Gabay Aruga Tungo sa Pag-angat at Pag-asa Foundation, visited Guihulngan Wednesday and said AGAPP will build more classrooms in the quake-hit areas, and that she and her sisters are also delivering relief assistance.

“Your heart bleeds at what has happened. Some places have become ghost towns because people have fled to the mountains for fear of a tsunami,” she said.

It will take a big effort to help Guihulngan recover, let us be thankful Bacolod has been spared, she said.

She said the classrooms built by AGAPP in Guihulngan survived the quake, but in the school where they are located the children have not returned, as aftershocks were still happening.

On Wednesday morning, the road near the school cracked, two days after the magnitude 6.9 tremor hit on Monday, she said.

Before we were concentrating on building classrooms in tropical storm Sendong hit areas, now we will add the earthquake hit areas of Negros Oriental, she said.

Her sister, movie actress Kris Aquino, is set to sign another endorsement contract for which one of her requirements is the building of five additional AGAPP classrooms, Abellada added.

She and her sisters are also collecting donations from friends to help the earthquake victims, Abellada said. She brought some of the relief assistance to Negros Oriental Wednesday when her brother, President Benigno Aquino, also visited the area, Abellada added.

GRACE LEE

Radio and television personality Grace Lee, whom the president is currently dating, in an interview in Manila said she was unable to be with him on his 52nd birthday because he had to visit the earthquake victims in Negros Oriental.

“I understand. He belongs to the people first,” Lee said.

Abellada, when asked if she likes Lee, said “Yes, she is very nice.”

Camille Buenaventura, executive director of San Miguel Foundation who joined Abellada in Bacolod, said SMC also delivered P800,000 in food and water assistance to the quake victims in Negros Oriental, Wednesday.*CPG

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