Exec, actor visit Ermita fire victims

CEBU, Philippines — Special Assistant to the President Christopher "Bong" Go personally visited Barangay Ermita, Cebu City yesterday to console with the family of the two children who perished in the fire as well as to know the situation of the fire victims.

"Niari ko aron ipaabot ni Presidente Duterte ang iyang pahisubo sa mga namatay nga mga bata," said Go, who was accompanied by Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino as well as Go's longtime friend, movie actor Philip Salvador, to the delight of the fire victims.

Go personally handed cash and a brand new cellular phone to the grandfather of the two children and personally asked Dino to give any assistance to the family.

"We will give them assistance including their hospital bills and other assistance they will need," said Dino.

The parents of the siblings who died are still at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center to attend to their other child who is still in critical condition after suffering third degree burns during the fire.

After condoling and saying a prayer to the two deceased children at the barangay chapel, Go went to the fire victims situated nearby where a short program was held.

Go also gave out P2,000 cash assistance for each family affected in the fire and some personal belongings.  The budget came from his office.

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office also gave P1 million check for the barangay and the Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 gave relief goods for 676 families (food pack, kitchen kit, family clothing pack, sleeping packs).

OPAV gave food packs for the affected families and the Department of Health-7 gave hygiene kits, first aid kits, drinking water, vitamins  and medical consultation.

Go also gave a pair of his shoes that he was wearing yesterday to one of the fire victims and exchanged it for a pair of slippers.

Go said that he was thinking of having a program dubbed as "Sapatos ni SAP, tsinelas ang Swap."

"Nakahuna-huna ko ba nga daghan mga tawo walay sapatos pero daghan pud mga tawo nga daghan og sapatos nga wala nay gamit. So, maypa e-donate nila ang ilang mga sapatos sa mga walay sapatos para magamit pa," said Go.

A fire victim who asked not to be named said that aside from food they will surely need construction materials which will be used to rebuild their homes.

"Bisan piso wala koy nadala kay pag-ulbo gyud sa sunog akong apo ug anak ang akong gisiguro kay duol ra kaayo mi sa balay diin nagsugod ang sunog," said a senior citizen fire victim who managed to jump from the wall as the road is too narrow.

"Aw niambak ko sa paril pero gisalo ra man pud hinoon ko sa akong anak. Kay kung wala pa ko niambak, apil gyud unta ko og kasunog," the senior citizen added.

Go also visited and gave financial assistance to the families whose houses where gutted down by the fire on Wednesday in Barangay Tejero, Cebu City.

Instead of reblocking, a setback would be done on the 265 houses of the fire victims in Barangay Ermita, after converting the area to ground zero for the expansion of the right of way.

Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP) Head Genevieve Alcoseba said that the residents agreed to the planned setback.

“Kinahanglan gyud ta nga mag ground zero, so buyon kaayo ang mga lumulupyo...dili man ta mag-reblock.  Akong klaruhon nga dili mag-reblocking but ang pagabuhaton sa city government is mag-setback ang tanan nga mga okupante, ma-title man ka o dili man ka fully paid, kay ang kaning mga yuta nato diri panag-iya man ni sa syudad.  So, regardless of your status, kung nag atubang ka og pathway ug main road, mo-setback gyud ka og point five meters kay at least to pave way for a bigger road right of way,” Alcoseba said.

Engineers from a construction company will help in clearing the area using heavy equipment to rapidly convert the area to ground zero.

Alcoseba said that the clearing operation will start on Wednesday and will take a few days.

“Busy on Monday tungod sa election day, so tagaan nato ug gamay nga panahon by Tuesday, tanan nga info dissemination kay kinahanglan ang lugar, walay bata ug wala na gyuy mga butang nila kay Wednesday magsugod na ang heavy equipments sa pagtanggal o pag-demolish, pag-clear sa mga nabilin pa na debris sa sunog,” she added.

Some parents became emotional after the announcement of the planned setback, however, they were asked to cooperate on the matter. The residents are asked to prepare an improvised PBC or cements for the rebuilding of their houses.

The placing of mohons will be done by DWUP and the residents could start rebuilding their houses following the subdivision plan. — Joyce Ann Gabutan and Marienel M. Janea, CNU Interns/GAN (FREEMAN)