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PNoy pledges $1-M assistance to Japan tsunami, quake victims


President Benigno Aquino III has pledged a $1-million assistance to the victims of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Ishinomaki, Japan and the city’s reconstruction program. A press statement from Malacañang said Aquino made the pledge Monday during the turn-over ceremonies of the donation to Ishimiyaki City Mayor Hiroshi Kameyama at the Ishinimaki City Hall. Aquino handed over the pledge of assistance to Mayor Kameyama in the presence of other officials of the city. "We would like to assist to the extent we are able to," the President said through an interpreter, adding that the monetary assistance "is the pledge of the Filipino people and the government." The Philippine President pointed out that the actual cash will be given by the Philippine Embassy in Japan through Ambassador Manolo Lopez. As he turned over the letter containing the pledge of assistance to the Ishinomaki official, the President reiterated his sympathy for the losses. "I also would like to thank you for taking good care of our Filipino nationals here. And again, we are prepared to assist to levels we are able to," Aquino said. Present during the ceremonies were Ishinomaki Vice Mayor Etsuro Kitamura, Ishinomaki City Council chairperson Hiroshima Abe, and Parliamentary senior vice minister for Foreign Affairs Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi, and the Philippine delegation led by Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, Transportation and Communications Secretary Mar Roxas, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Sonny Coloma, and Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras among others. In Singapore Aquino told the Ishinomaki Mayor that he was in Singapore when the twin disasters hit Japan. "I was shocked to see the photos and images on television. Our country was compelled to render assistance to Japan immediately," he said. Because of the magnitude of the disaster, the President said he immediately sent a letter to the Japanese Prime Minister extending his government's and the Filipino people's sympathy and assistance. He likewise mentioned other forms of assistance such as a medical team to help the victims as Japan proceeded with its reconstruction. According to the President, Japan and the Philippines have been visited by a lot of disasters and, overtime, it happened that Japan was always there to help the Philippines. This year, Japan has provided the Philippines some 9.2 billion yen in Official Development Assistance. In response, Ishinomaki City Mayor Kameyama thanked President Aquino for the help and then ushered him to view a photo exhibit that showed the damages wrought by the earthquake and tsunami to the city of Ishinomaki. In a meeting with the Filipino community at the Ishinomaki Catholic Church and Kindergarten Building, the President reiterated the US$1-Million pledge he had committed to the city of Ishinomaki. Seriously affected Ishinomaki City was among the most seriously affected by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. A tsunami about 10 meters high traveled 600 meters inland and destroyed around 80 percent of the 700 houses in the coastal whaling port of Ayukawa and the district of Kadonawaki. According to a fact sheet, approximately 46 percent of the city was inundated by the tsunami. One, elementary school, Okawa Elementary, was completely destroyed killing 74 of the 108 students and 10 of 13 teachers and staff. The fact sheet also said that as of June 17, 2011, a total of 3,097 deaths have been confirmed in Ishinomaki City due to the tsunami, with some 2,770 unaccounted for. It added that approximately 29,000 city residents lost their homes. — RSJ, GMA News

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