The Chinese Embassy in Manila is donating P10 million in humanitarian aid to quake-hit Batanes.
“The Chinese government expresses its deepest sympathy and condolences to those affected families and decided to donate P10 million to aid the victims and support the Philippine government in its efforts to rebuild Batanes and help local residents return to normal life,” the embassy said in a statement on Wednesday.
The Department of Public Works and Highways said the cost of infrastructure damage caused by the recent earthquakes in Batanes had already reached P292.85 million.
The department has deployed an additional team to Itbayat, Batanes, to assess the damage caused by earthquakes that hit the province on July 27.
In a statement on Tuesday, the department said the additional team will conduct Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment “as well as logistics for supplementary measure and light equipment for rescue operations”.
Disaster officials said the number of houses damaged by the twin earthquakes that jolted Itbayat on Saturday had climbed to 266.
At least two earthquakes with magnitude 5.4 and 5.9 struck several areas in Batanes on July 27.
In its latest report, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said at least 2,963 individuals were affected by the seismic events, a total of nine were killed and 64 were injured.
As of July 31, the NDRRMC also reported a total of P47 million worth of damage following the series of earthquakes.
“The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Philippines believes that, under the strong leadership of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and the government of the Philippines, the Philippine people will overcome the disaster and rebuild their homeland as soon as possible,” the Chinese Embassy said.
Earlier, China also donated $100,000 in emergency humanitarian assistance to the Philippines following the magnitude-6.1 earthquake that hit Pampanga on April 22.