Fire-hit Mambaling placed under state of calamity

CEBU, Philippines —  Barangay Mambaling in Cebu City was placed under a state of calamity following a fire that engulfed 80 houses and displaced 150 families last Friday.

The City Council approved on Tuesday Councilor Alvin Arcilla’s resolution declaring the village under a state of calamity.

Placing the village under a state of calamity will allow the city government to use its quick response funds to help the fire victims.

 “To authorize the Cebu City government and all of its appropriate departments to provide the maximum amounts allowed by law as cash aid and other forms of assistance to the victims of the fire,” portion of the resolution read.

The fire razed 80 houses and displaced 150 families or 800 individuals in Sitios Puntod and Huyong-Huyong. The damage was pegged at P17 million.

The city’s Department of Social Welfare and Services has requested the city government to allocate P4.4 million for the fire victims.

The money will be used for the purchase of food packs (P840,000); rice, canned goods and kitchen wares (P641,980); housing materials (P636,400); and for the distribution of financial assistance (P2.2 million).

Acting Mambaling Barangay Captain Anne Marie Vestil Palomo hopes the city government would hasten the releasing of financial assistance.

Each family is set to receive P20,000 in financial aid and housing materials.

The acting chairwoman is thankful to the city government for taking the cudgel in placing the village under the state of calamity.

She said the barangay cannot utilize yet its calamity funds owing to barangay council’s lack of quorum.

“We failed to declare a state of calamity for lack of quorum in the barangay council. Without a resolution, we cannot process the quick response calamity fund,” she said.

Palomo and suspended Mambaling Barangay Captain Gines Abellana have been serving as chiefs in the last four months, but neither have been able to conduct official functions at the barangay, with members divided between the chiefs, and they could not reach a proper quorum during sessions.

Abellana was suspended on January 9, 2019 by the Cebu City Council for abuse of authority following a complaint of four barangay councilmen, who claimed that Abellana allegedly withheld their honoraria.

Aside from city government’s aid, the barangay also received donations from Cebu City South Representative Rodrigo Abellanosa and private sectors.

The fire victims are temporarily taking shelter at Puntod gymnasium. — KBQ (FREEMAN)