Bacolod Rep. Evelio Leonardia said last night that the passage of Resolution 07  by the House of Representatives means that Bacolod is donating P35-million  to the Calamity Fund to help  the victims  in Yolanda-ravaged places in the Visayas and other  recent calamities.

Leonardia issued his statement moments after they passed the  resolution that waived their  rights to the remaining Priority Development Assistance Fund for 2013.

 Bacolod City still has P35-million in PDAF funds for 2013  that was included in the freeze order of the Supreme Court.

“Although this means P35-million less in public works, infrastructure, health and social services for our city this year, I know Bacoleños will gladly welcome the opportunity to help rebuild the parts of Visayas that were devastated by the calamity,” Leonardia said.

Bacoleños, who  had  received the nation’s generosity at the height of the sugar crisis in the 1980s,  must now  feel blessed to be able to give back  the love and help they once got in their own time of misfortune, he added.

“So, in behalf of Bacoleños,” he said, “I am happy and proud to contribute Bacolod’s P35-million to the Visayas rehabilitation fund.   In very real terms, we can say Bacolod has donated this amount to the victims of Yolanda and  recent calamities.”

“The P35 million  that is already earmarked in the 2013 budget, is our contribution, not only to our rebuilding efforts after Yolanda, but towards  building a truly united  Visayas and Philippines,” he added.

PERSONAL CONTRIBUTIONS

Earlier, Leonardia said he and the Nationalist People’s Coalition congressmen also signed a manifesto urging the realignment of their remaining PDAF to the calamity fund.

The congressmen also voted to give P10,000 each as their personal contribution to the Yolanda relief efforts. Earlier, the solons had  also given P10,000 each to the Bohol earthquake and Zamboanga siege victims.*

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