Defense department tightens belt

THE Department of National Defense (DnD) has donated all its savings and is set to forego with lavish Christmas parties and other unnecessary expenses as part of its austerity measure in deference to the victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin on Thursday disclosed that all they have saved for the year and all voluntary contributions from department officials and civilian officials, totalling P2 million were donated to the Armed Forces of the Philippines for the urgent needs of affected and responding soldiers in typhoon-affected areas.