Rep. Ben Evardone (Eastern Samar) and eight mayors from that province that was badly hit by super typhoon “Yolanda” will meet with Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo at the Capitol in Dumaguete City tomorrow.

The visit is in line with the pledge of Negros Oriental for P4 million worth of donations, for typhoon victims in Eastern Samar.

Degamo will present checks for P500,000 each to mayors Candida Gabornes of Lawaan, Viscuso de Lira of Balangiga, Mark Biong of Giporlos, Nedito Campo of Quinapondan, Melchor Mergal of Salcedo, Enrique Cabos of Mercedes, Edgar Boco of Hernani and Allan Contado of Balangkayan.

Evardone had earlier appealed for help for Eastern Samar, after noting that immediately after “Yolanda”, the focus of relief operations were on Tacloban and other parts of Leyte.

The provincial government of Negros Oriental had already allocated P13 million as Quick Response Fund from its Calamity Fund for areas devastated by disasters in the past year.

These include P2 million for Bayawan City, and P1 million each for Sta. Catalina and Basay, all in Negros Oriental, after the massive flooding that killed six people Oct. 6; P1 million each for Bohol and Cebu due to the magnitude 7.2 earthquake Oct. 15; and P1 million for Zamboanga, after the deadly siege by the Moro National Liberation Front rebels in September.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council also set aside P6 million for Yolanda victims, with P4 million allotted for Eastern Samar and P1 million each for Iloilo and Negros Occidental.

The relief assistance funds are taken from the 2013 QRF amounting to P21 million, that represents 30 percent of the province’s five percent Calamity Fund of P70 million.*JFP