The total donations in cash and in kind given to the victims of the Nov. 2 fire that claimed the lives of 17 people and destroyed about P4 million worth of properties in Barangay 19, Bacolod City is estimated to have reached almost P1 million, Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said yesterday.

Leonardia has suggested that all donations be given to the Barangay 19 Disaster Coordinating Council, so it will go directly to the affected families.

He said the Department of Social Services and Development will be around to take a supportive role.

Leonardia said the biggest cash donation was given by the Buddhist Tzu Chu Foundation.

He said the Association of Chief Executives of Negros Occidental has pledged to give the fire victims P200,000 in assistance.

ACE president and Manapla Mayor Manuel Escalante said they have provided P2,000 in cash to about 79 affected families and will also provide additional P5,000 for each casualty of the fire.

Leonardia said the city will provide P5,000 cash assistance to those whose houses were destroyed and P3,000 to those whose houses were damaged by the Nov. 2 blaze. The city will also provide them other support facilities like foot walks or water facilities, he said.

Leonardia said they have taken care of the burial of the casualties of the fire and provided them coffins, through the Negros Occidental Chinese Foundation.

The city also continues to provide the fire victims stress debriefing or counseling.

Thirteen out of the 17 casualties of the blaze were buried Thursday, while Josephine, 42, Junelyn, 14, Ruel, 13, and Rosemarie Niño, 11 months, will be buried today.*CGS

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