Lorega fire victims: Hasten reblocking

CEBU, Philippines - Barangay Lorega-San Miguel fire victims are appealing to the Cebu City government to hasten the reblocking of the scene of the March 18 blaze so they can go back already.

Josefina Llanos, 60, said living condition at the evacuation center she was staying is almost unbearable the fire victims need to live in their own houses already.

“Kapoy na kaayo sa gym. Daghan mi unya init pa gyud kaayo didto,” said Llanos, who is currently staying at the Zapatera Gym with hundreds of other evacuees.

Yesterday, she visited the place where her house used to stand to check if they could already transfer and build their home again.

The city government is currently clearing the three-hectare lot as part of the reblocking process to widen the road so as to provide firefighters easier access during future emergencies.

“Bahala’g mag-payag-payag ra mi basta makabalik na mi diri unya naa na mi among kaugalingon balay (I do not mind if we would live in a hut for a while as long as it is our own an is built in the same location),” said Llanos.

But lawyer Collin Rossell, city Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor, said yesterday hundreds of victims have already been transferred from evacuation centers back to the lot since Wednesday, said lawyer.

Rossell said they are aiming to have all affected households back to their original locations by tomorrow.

A total of 155 families from sitios Quadrangle, Laray, and Laguna have been allowed to return last Wednesday, while those from sitios Itom Yuta and Serias did last Thursday and have even started rebuilding their homes.

Rossell said the city gave each household 30 to 35 square meters.

City administrator Lucelle Mercado said they decided to divide the lot equally for the benefit of everybody.

“It’s amazing because other families who used to have bigger lot (spaces) nisugot na makuhaan ang ilang lote basta ma-widen lang gyud ang dan. Nakita nila ang importansya niini (agreed to have their lots shrink just to have a wider road). They need that road,” she said.

Another batch of families was set to be transferred in sitio Lawis yesterday, while the last batch would move in Sitio Kamansi and in San Roque tomorrow.— /RHM (FREEMAN)