Taiwan on Monday donated USD100,000 or approximately PHP5.7 million to help rehabilitate damaged cultural and historical structures in Vigan City, following the July 2022 earthquake that rocked several parts of Luzon.

Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines (TECO) Representative Peiyung Hsu turned over the donation to Vigan Mayor Jose Singson Jr. who was joined by city councilors and officials.

Governor Jeremias Singson of Ilocos Sur was also present to witness the turnover.

“As the closest neighbor of the Philippines, the people of Taiwan really sympathize with the victims worst affected by the earthquake. Representative Hsu expressed Taiwan’s sincere compassion and sympathies to the victims and their families hit by the calamity, and indicated that the project involves public safety, heritage conservation, and revitalization of the city’s economy at the initial phase of recovering from the onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic,” TECO said Monday night.

Singson also thanked Taiwan for the assistance.

Vigan City was among the hardest hit areas when a magnitude 7 earthquake struck Northern Luzon on July 27, 2022.

The epicenter was located in Tayum, Abra but tremors were felt as far as Metro Manila.

Based on a National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council report, the total estimated damage to infrastructure in Ilocos Region alone is more than PHP1.42 billion. (PNA)