The League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) has indefinitely postponed its National Executive Board (NEB) meeting in Manila on Wednesday due to the Taal explosion.

Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia, national president of LCP, said some 80 city mayors were supposed to attend the meeting to be held at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila.

“With what happened, we thought it would not be appropriate for us to continue with that, so we postponed the meeting,” he said.

Leonardia said Senators Aquilino Pimentel III and Emmanuel Pacquiao have been invited as honored guests, together with Deputy House Speaker Michael Romero.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Bacolod mayor himself called for an emergency meeting with the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council here to discuss Bacolod’s response and assistance to the local government units (LGUs) affected by the Taal eruption.

Leonardia said the LCP, as a policy, provides a certain amount to affected cities, but some cities like Bacolod can also donate part of its disaster fund.

In November last year, the city government here donated a total of PHP4.5 million in financial assistance to seven LGUs devastated by earthquakes in Mindanao.

The donation was unanimously approved by the City Council, based on the letter-request of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office endorsed by Leonardia. (PNA)