Parola residents seek probe into fire that displaced 2,134 families
MANILA, Philippines — Residents of Parola Compound in San Nicolas, Binondo, Manila are calling for a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire that broke out in the area on Saturday, May 23, leaving 2,134 families displaced.
In a statement published Sunday, May 24, the Pagkakaisa ng Mamamayan ng Tundo, a people’s organization in Tondo, said residents raised questions about the timing of the fire, which happened as several development projects are set to affect the area.
Among these projects are the North-South Harbor Bridge, a 2.02-kilometer, four-lane bridge that will connect Barangay 20, or Parola, in the North Harbor of the Port of Manila to Barangay 649, or Baseco Island, in the South Harbor, and San Miguel Corp.’s Southern Access Link Expressway.
“Ngayon kung gayong napakaraming umiiral na mga proyektong pang-kaunlaran, hindi ba dapat ay maunlad ang inaabot ng kalagayan ng mamamayan ng Parola?” the statement read. (Now, if there are so many development projects, shouldn’t the lives of Parola residents also be improving?)
Investigators were earlier deployed to the area to determine the cause of the nearly nine-hour fire.
Earlier reports said 7,123 individuals were affected, including 2,768 minors and 310 senior citizens.
Loaned and foreign-funded
On Wednesday, May 20, a groundbreaking ceremony marking the official start of construction of the bridge was held in Barangay 649, Baseco Port Area in Manila.
The Department of Public Works and Highways awarded the contract for the North-South Harbor Bridge to China Road and Bridge Corp. in 2023 for a bid price of P6,753,171,284.68.
The bridge is a project under the China Government Financing Facility, a state-backed lending arrangement offered by the Chinese government.
Although the agreement was signed three years ago, the project faced several delays due to right-of-way issues and concerns from local residents.
The project was also opposed by some Manila councilors as early as July 2023.
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