City gov’t to erect memorial marker dedicated to Davao blast victims – Mayor Sara Duterte

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte on Thursday said the city government will erect a permanent memorial marker dedicated to the victims of the Sept. 2 night market explosion that claimed the lives of 14 people.

A report on GMA News TV's Balitanghali quoted Duterte sa saying that while there is still no budget for the marker, they already cordoned off the area where it will stand in the plaza.

"I already directed the city administrator to commission a Davao artist to design the permanent memorial marker," Duterte said.

"Wala pa yung budget. Nasa design stage so temporarily yung cordon na muna na ginawa para sa memorial marker," she added in Visayan dialect.

Duterte said the city government also allotted P4.5 million from the crisis intervention fund for the assistance of the victims who died and were injured.

"Initially it was P4.5 million of the crisis intervention fund for the assistance of those who died and those in the hospitals. That is on top of the others already [spent] na ginamit na funds ng CSSDO saka Mayor’s Office," she said.

Meanwhile, Duterte reiterated to the public to use only the official bank accounts of Davao City in transmitting their donations. 

"The official bank account will be the city government Landbank account. But the City Government of Davao already posted on our Facebook page and our other accounts, the number of Landbank accounts. I suggest that all your donations will be directed to the City Government of Davao," Duterte said. — Joseph Tristan Roxas/RSJ, GMA News