Senators donate P2.5 million to Turkey earthquake victims

PHILIPPINE senators on Tuesday turned over a P2.5-million donation to the Turkish ambassador to the Philippines to help victims of the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit the country and neighboring Syria in early February.  

“The Philippines being a disaster-prone country, we have some idea of the tragedy that Turkey and Syria are facing, and so we wanted to help out, in our own way,” Senate President Juan Miguel F. Zubiri said during the plenary session.  

“We hope that our humble contributions, taken together, are able to offer some comfort and relief to the victims in this most difficult time,” he added. 

The upper chamber also passed a resolution to express sympathy and condolences to both nations, where over 50,000 people died.   

“I thank all of my colleagues in the Senate for pooling together a total of P2.5 million at P100,000 each senator for a donation to the Turkish Red Crescent, coursed through the Philippine Red Cross,” Mr. Zubiri said. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan