Dominican business and individuals committed RD$18 million during a telemarathon organized by Telecentro, Channel 13. The biggest contribution in pesos was RD$2 million made by Codetel, the principal telephone company. During the event, Spanish singer Julio Iglesias, Dominican designer Oscar de la Renta and businessman Octavio Cisneros made a US$250,000 (about RD$3,750,000). The money is being deposited in an account opened by the Episcopado Dominicano (the Roman Catholic Church) in the Banco Intercontinental. The phones of the telemarathon were manned by leading Dominican businessman, including Celso Marranzini, president of the Private Business Council (CONEP); José Miguel Bonetti, the president of the Sociedad Industrial Dominicana; and Pepín Corripio, president of the Grupo Corripio. Other Dominican leading businessmen, such as Luís Augusto Ginebra of Seguros America; Enrique Armenteros, of the Banco Gerencial y Fiduciario took calls. Likewise Cardinal Nicolás de Jesús López Rodríguez and Monsignor Agripino Núñez manned the phones receiving donations.
