Taiwan on Monday donated US$100,000 to the Philippines to help rebuild the historic city of Vigan, where many buildings from the Spanish colonial era were severely damaged by two massive quakes earlier this year, Taiwan’s representative office in the country said on Tuesday.
The donation should help with reconstruction efforts in Vigan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the west coast of Luzon, after it was hit with by magnitude 7 earthquake in July and a magnitude 6.4 quake in October, the office said.
The earthquakes caused an estimated 250 million Philippine pesos (US$4.38 million) in damage, the office said.
Taiwan’s donation would mainly be used to rebuild historic buildings.
Vigan Mayor Jose Singson Jr said that he appreciated Taiwan’s donation, and expressed the hope that it could pave the way for more cooperation between the two sides.
Singson, who has visited Taiwan three times, said he was particularly interested in agricultural development in Taiwan and looked forward to learning how to boost agricultural productivity in Vigan.
The July earthquake set off landslides and damaged buildings in Abra and other northern provinces, killing at least five people and injuring dozens. The October quake also injured dozens, knocking out power and damaging buildings in several provinces.
Additional reporting by AP
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