Philippine News
Aquino visits survivors of Zamboanga City blast
President Benigno Simeon Aquino III visits the site of the Zamboanga City blast. (Malacanang Photo Bureau)
ZAMBOANGA CITY — President Benigno S. Aquino III visited the survivors of explosion that rocked the city and left two persons dead and 52 others injured on January 23.
The visit was conducted on Sunday afternoon after President Aquino’s inspection of the site of the explosion, located along Maria Clara Lorenzo Lobregat (MCLL) Highway in Barangay Guiwan.
President Aquino was accompanied by National Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, and Zamboanga City Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco.
President Aquino headed to the explosion site after a closed-door security briefing. From the blast site, the President proceeded to various hospitals where some of the wounded were taken.
The Chief Executive first went to Zamboanga Peninsula Medical Center where five people injured in the blast are confined, including a policeman, SPO1 Sanzibal Bahari.
The President also visited other survivors who were confined at the Western Mindanao Medical Center, Zamboanga City Doctors Hospital, Ciudad Medical Center, and Zamboanga City Medical Center.
One of them is Kenmark Cabayacruz, a 20-year old student, who suffered a major injury and is at Zamboanga City Medical Center.
During the hospital visits, President Aquino had a brief interaction with the blast survivors.
They also received financial assistance from the President, as well P5,000 cash and a guarantee letter for the hospital bill from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
President Aquino, accompanied by Cabinet officials, also visited the wake of Reynaldo Tan, 39, and Dennis Valiente, 37, who died in the blast, at La Merced Memorial Homes.
Apart from financial assistance from the President, the families of those killed in the explosion also received P5,000 cash and a guarantee letter worth P10,000 for funeral fees from DSWD.
