P14-M aid from Spanish gov't to arrive in Iloilo City Wednesday night

ILOILO CITY, July 4 (PNA) – Assistance coming from the Spanish government through the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (SAIC) will arrive at the Iloilo airport in Cabatuan Wednesday night on board a plane straight from Madrid, Spain.

The government of Spain is one of the first foreign countries to heed the city’s call for help for the devastation it incurred from Typhoon Frank and the aid was even mentioned by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the recent Cabinet and National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) meeting here.

Ma. Eugenia Martin-Sanz Martinez, head of the Relief Department of SAIC, met Wednesday morning with Mayor Jerry P. Treñas, representatives of the Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD), a team from Albay and other concerned agencies for a briefing on the assistance package they will be extending to the city.

The package includes a water treatment plant that can process 3,000 liters of water in an hour, complementary water supplies and IEHK kit; three units each of immediate action kits and pediatric kits good for 30 days; two units each of trauma kits and obstetrics kits; medicine and complementary medical material; supplements against diarrhea; water treatment pills; 1,360 units of jerrycans with 20–liter capacity; 288 units of AECID’s family hygienical kit and 96 pieces of individual hygienical kit.

The Albay team, led by Engr. Allan Mape, was sent by Gov. Joey Salceda to train city personnel on how to operate the water treatment plant.

The entire package, including the transportation cost from Madrid, is around 89,693 Euro or about P14 million.

Martinez said the support is in a form of a grant and all the equipment will be donated to the city.

Treñas expressed his appreciation to the Spanish government for its support, adding that the city has always been very close to Spain.

“This would mean a lot because the greatest problem in Iloilo right now is potable water. We have been asking for donations of bottled water which we are giving for free to all affected barangays. But as everybody knows, whatever we get is not always enough,” Treñas said.