Fire victims can't rebuild

CEBU, Philippines - No rebuilding of homes until the whole area is reblocked for wider roads.

This was the order Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama gave yesterday for Barangay Luz, where a two-hour fire destroyed 298 houses and affected 570 families or at least 2,200 individuals.

He held an emergency meeting with City Hall department heads yesterday, a Saturday, at the Grand Convention Center which is near the fire-affected area.

After the meeting, Rama and the department heads conducted an ocular inspection at the five sitios hit by a mid-afternoon fire last Friday.

City Fire Marshall Aderson Comar, however, said only 146 were houses were destroyed while seven were damaged in Sitios Central, Lubi, Abellana, Sta. Cruz and Sto. Niño.

Dr. Ester Concha, chief of the Cebu City Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS), said the number of individuals and families could be higher.

“We are still validating claims. The figures might still change,” she said.

The two-way access roads leading to the fire-stricken areas became narrow over the years because of illegal structures – houses and stores built on the roadsides or terraces and other portions of houses extending over the passageways.

Luz officials under Barangay Captain Rian Tante said they already informed the Office of the Building Officials (OBO) about the illegal structures but received no action.

Meanwhile, City Hall officials particularly the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) and Management Information Computer Services (MICS) immediately met to discuss how to reblock the area.

From the drainage system beside the road, they want to move the pedestrian passage back by one meter. They observed during the inspection that houses were occupying even the spaces above or beside the drainage systems.

“Wala na gayu’y agianan ang pedestrians,” said Engineer Rene Plarizan of the General Service Office (GSO). (Even the pedestrians were blocked.)

Some of the structures were made of light materials but others were made of concrete.

Rama ordered to install tents, portalets or movable toilets and proper lightings at night while the City Health officials were directed to attend to the health needs of the fire victims.

Meanwhile, Cebu City South district Rep. Tomas R. Osmeña assured to provide cash assistance of P10,000 for each homeowner and P1,000 for those who were renting.

Some victims are housed at the Barangay Luz Elementary School while others take shelter at the 30 tents placed near their burned houses.

Unattended cooking was initially believed to have caused the fire.

Rama directed Cebu City Police Office Director Melvin Ramon Buenafe to secure the fire scene and the evacuation areas.

Barangay officials declared the five sitios under a state of calamity Friday night. – /JPM (FREEMAN)