Negros Occidental sends PHP 2M aid to Sarangani

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — The provincial government of Negros Occidental donated PHP 2 million in financial assistance to Sarangani province, which was hit by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake in June.

Acting Gov. Jose Benito Alonso welcomed the delegation from Sarangani province led by Vice Gov. Danny Martinez during its visit to the Provincial Capitol here on Monday.

Alonso turned over a symbolic check to Martinez to help recovery efforts in communities affected by the earthquake.

The Negros Occidental provincial government also presented its best practices in economic enterprise, local legislation, tourism, disaster preparedness, and environmental protection to the delegation.

“We are happy to welcome our friends from Sarangani. This assistance is our way of showing that Negros Occidental stands with them as they recover from the earthquake,” Alonso said.

“We may be from different provinces, but in times of need, we can come together and extend whatever help we can,” he added.

Alonso was accompanied by Board Members Laurence Marxlen Dela Cruz, Araceli Somosa, Bambi Depasucat, Paula Alonso, Rita Gatuslao, and Mavelyn Madrid, and Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II.

The visit also provided an opportunity for both provinces to exchange information and strengthen coordination on assistance for communities affected by disasters.

The assistance was also made possible through the efforts and collaboration of Primelectric, Ignite, and Negros Power, which helped facilitate connections and coordination for the humanitarian response to Sarangani.

The magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck offshore west of Maasim, Sarangani, on June 8, 2026, and was felt across parts of Mindanao and the Visayas.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the earthquake was tectonic in origin and was likely associated with subduction along the Cotabato Trench.