City planning to build condo for fire victims

CEBU - As a long term plan, the city government intends to build a medium rise condominium for the more than 300 residents of Basak San Nicolas whose houses were gutted by fire last Tuesday.

Councilor Gerardo Carillo, action officer of the City Disaster and Coordinating Council, yesterday said the city may buy a parcel of land within the three sitios affected by the fire where the condominium could be built.

The Socialized Housing Fund would reportedly be utilized for the construction and a payment scheme can be put in place for those who will avail of a space in the condominium so they can pay for it in an installment basis.

“We could get at least a 300-square-meter lot where the medium rise condominium will be built,” Carillo said, especially now that Veterans Bank, one of the owners of the 8,000 square-meter property where the fire struck, is reportedly considering selling its lot to the city.

But for now, Carillo said the city would concentrate on providing the easiest means of support for the affected residents. Twenty more tents would be provided to the affected families.

The city would also provide them with construction materials in a few days for them to rebuild their houses.

This, even if some of the owners of the lots previously occupied by the affected residents have expressed disinterest in letting the families return to their properties.

Carillo said the lot owners will have to go to court and file an eviction case against the affected families.

Almost 300 structures were gutted by the fire, which reportedly started when two children were playing with matches. One boy was reported injured in the incident. — Ferliza C. Contratista/JMO (THE FREEMAN)