Twelve families left homeless

CEBU, Philippines - At least 12 households have been displaced as two fires that hit different areas in Cebu City Monday and yesterday completely razed down nine houses and damaged three others.

At 7:50 p.m. Monday along Highway Tagunol, Barangay Basak Pardo, a fire destroyed five houses.

Senior Fire Officer 4 Rogelio Valencia said it was a struggle to control the fire because it occurred in the interior portion of the barangay. Firefighters had to climb up the roofs of nearby houses to spray water into the affected area.

According to Valencia, the fire started at the house of Elvira Binarao who was not at home during the incident. 

“Wala siya sa ilang balay kay nangadye og patay," said Valencia.

Valencia added that they will conduct further investigation especially after they have received some reports that the cause might be illegal wire-tapping.

Yesterday at 12:03 p.m., another fire broke out along V. Rama Avenue, Barangay Guadalupe.

Senior Fire Officer Emiliano Daño, Fire Investigator told The FREEMAN, that of the six households affected by the fire, four were completely destroyed and two were partially damaged.

Damage cost is estimated at P75,000.

The fire was under control by 12:16 p.m. and was completely put out by 12:40 p.m.

Daño said the fire started at the house of Jeck Hubahib and Mary Grace Nabua who will be summoned for questioning to determine the cause of the fire.

Instead of relocating fire victims temporarily in school facilities, the city government eyes to give them rental subsidy of P12,000 good for three months until their homes have been rebuilt and re-blocked.

This development is based on the observation of City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office headed by Nagiel Bañacia that the city government would be spending more if they would allow the affected families to evacuate to any public facility, specifically a school facility.

“Ang actual situation if ibutang nato sila sa school, after na ma-recover ang ilahang place, the city will have to repair sa rooms nga ilaha na stayhan, mobayad pata sa kuryente and all,” he said.

Bañacia also said the school will not be conducive for learning if there will be evacuees in the premises while classes are being held.

“Based on experience, a lot of problems will occur if you will put the evacuees sa school. Number one there, we are putting a community sa school which is not conducive for learning  kay nag co-exist naman ang mga tawo ug  mga bata. Sanitation also, garbage disposal…above all destruction sa mga classes. Wala lang na nakita sa publiko but nakita na sa mga school administrator,” Bañacia told reporters yesterday.

With this new scheme also, the affected families will be able to go back to their normal life for they are given rental subsidy to look for a space where they can temporarily shelter their respective families.

Concerned offices such as the Division of Welfare for the Urban Poor will be pressured to do the re-blocking of the affected area within a three-month period as the rental subsidy will end by then and fire victims are expected to go back to their homes.

Bañacia explained that the rental subsidy is in addition to the victims’ financial assistance from the city amounting to P20,000 per household and housing materials which comprise 10 pieces of galvanized iron and 10 pieces of plywood.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña affirms that the city government is eyeing to execute this new scheme in order for the city to save on cost but added that he will let his Executive Assistant Francisco “Bimbo” Fernandez to handle the matter.

As of press time, Fernandez is still in the process of drafting the executive order for this new scheme. — Rowena D. Capistrano and Odessa O. Leyson (FREEMAN)