Marfa fire victims get financial aid

CEBU, Philippines - The 109 families who were affected by a fire that hit Sitio Marfa in Barangay Bakilid, Mandaue City last April 28 have started to receive their financial assistance from the barangay yesterday.

Bakilid Barangay Captain Dionisio Villamor said they hastened the distribution of the financial assistance after the Department of Education has only given the fire victims until yesterday to vacate the Bakilid Elementary School due to the launching of the week-long Brigada Eskwela.

Brigada Eskwela is a nationwide program that seeks to conduct a simultaneous clean-up drive in public elementary and high schools in preparation for the opening of classes next month.

Villamor said they started distributing P3,000 in financial assistance to 42 homeowners yesterday while 26 renters received P1,200. Some 41 sharers also received a P1,200 in financial assistance from the barangay.

These affected families have also yet to receive financial assistance from the city government which is due when the documents for the release of the aid have already been processed.

Once the financial assistance from the city government is approved, houseowners will each receive P10,000 in cash while renters and sharers will receive P5,000.

Villamor said yesterday's distribution of financial assistance will be of help for the affected families for them to start looking for a place where they could rent or stay after the owners of the lot they have been occupying for the past 18 years will no longer allow them to rebuild their houses on their previous spots.

As of yesterday, only seven families were left at the Bakilid Elementary School and they assured Villamor to they will pull out from the evacuation site once they receive the financial assistance from the barangay.

The fire that hit Sitio Marfa was allegedly due a low-end cellphone charger being used and exploded.