Miss Universe Philippines 2021 Celeste Cortesi donated P5 million each to victims of earthquakes that recently struck Cebu and Davao Oriental.
On September 30, a 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck the northern part of Cebu, and just earlier this week a couple of quakes and numerous aftershocks were felt in the Davao region.
Cortesi’s beauty company Asul, which she co-founded with British philanthropist Jonathan Sterling, initially donated P5 million through the non-governmental organization Angat Buhay Foundation to aid Cebu relief operations on the ground.
The donation was used for hygiene kits, water and food packs, cash aid, medical missions, shelters and tents, and mobilization for affected families.
The beauty queen-turned-actress and Sterling then donated another P5 million following the 7.6 and 6.8 magnitude Davao Oriental quakes, this time through the Philippine Red Cross.
The newer donation will help the Philippine Red Cross in its rescue and relief efforts.
Last month, Sterling and Cortesi established the Sterling Scholarship Fund to annually aid the tuition and fees of 30 deserving students of the Ateneo de Manila University.
State seismologists recorded 824 aftershocks within 24 hours after the two Davao Oriental earthquakes, seven of which registered magnitudes above 5.
The aftermath of the Cebu quake saw 1,853 aftershocks in the first 24 hours following the main event.
At least 72 people were killed in Cebu areas in late September, while at least seven died during the Davao quakes.