3 Barangays under state of calamity

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City council has declared three barangays under state of calamity, including Barangay San Roque following a huge fire last week that left 278 families homeless.

The Barangay Council also made a separate declaration yesterday after three sessions without a quorum. Barangay Captain Lidiore “Boy” Miranda said they were not able to immediately declare a state of calamity because some of the councilmen were allegedly playing politics.

Miranda, however, was happy that the members of the Barangay Council have finally agreed and set aside politics to ensure a quorum yesterday.

“Wala lang gyud siguro mi nagkasinabot kay na-busy lang pud siguro sa pagtabang sa atong mga constituents nga nasunogan pero dili gyud na sa politika nga wala dayon na deklara,” said Barangay Councilman Bobby Morados.

Morados said that they can now use the calamity fund to further help the fire victims.

In line with the development, the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor has already prepared the rebuilding plan for the families affected by last week’s fire in Palma Street, Barangay San Roque.

DWUP chief Collin Rossell said that based on the special working order from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources dated October 1992 showing a subdivision plan in the area, only 111 home lots were affected by fire. However, the actual count of houses destroyed by fire has reached to 138 houses.

Rossell said that DWUP will revalidate the families to know who are house owners, renters, or sharers because of the directive of Mayor Michael Rama that no one should be displaced.

He said that the area showed that the lot is still titled with the Republic of the Philippines, adding that the city can grant social housing project since it is under their jurisdiction. There are, however, four families who claimed ownership of the property.

Rossell said that the proposed rebuilding plan includes the restoration of the three meter easement zone. DENR’s subdivision plan, however, specified a five-meter easement zone.  City Engineer Jose Marie Poblete said that the easement zone will be used as interior road for public use, hoping that no one will build structures anymore along the easement zone.

Aside from San Roque, the other barangays included in the declaration of calamity are Guadalupe and Suba because the areas were also hit by fires earlier this month.  (FREEMAN)