CH to fire victims: Relocate to get aid

CEBU, Philippines -  The 110 families affected by fire in Barangay Apas will not get financial assistance and housing materials from the Cebu City government unless they agree to rebuild their houses at the relocation site in Barangay Kalunasan.

 Each of the fire victims is entitled to P20,000 cash assistance and P10,000 worth of housing materials. But City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council head Nagiel Bañacia said the city government will only help if they relocate.

"Ang housing materials and financial assistance ihatag para makapundar sa relocation site," Bañacia said.

Bañacia said the fire victims will have to be relocated because the Cebu provincial government will use the property for its development project.

During the meeting yesterday, officials of the Cebu Province and Cebu City government agreed that all fire victims will be accommodated in another province-owned property in Kalunasan.

Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management head Baltazar Tribunalo said the province will accommodate the 87 families who are on the original list in the relocation site.

"Klarong pagtinabangay sa mga nasunogan, sa province ug sa syudad ang pag-address sa pangina-hanglanon sa atong fire victims. Dugay nga plano nga i-relocate ning 87 nga naa sa original nga list but wala na-implement," he said.

Francisco "Bimbo" Fernandez, executive assistant to the mayor, said the rest of the 110 families who will not be given relocation by the province will be accommodated by the Pagtambayayong Foundation also in Kalunasan.

Fernandez said each of the 110 families will have 40-square meter lot at the relocation site. Fernandez said those who will be accommodated by the province will pay the lot at P1,680 per square meter payable for 30 years while the other families will pay the same amount to Pagtambayayong Foundation.

Tribunalo said the families will get the title of the lot once they are able to pay in full.

"Affordable ra gyud na siya for them. Ang relocation site kay subdivided na daan ang allocation with the help sa Pagtambayayong Foundation. The province will also develop the relocation site including na sa kuryente, tubig, and other basic necessities," he said.

Tribunalo said the province and the city officials will meet the fire victims today to discuss the concerns of the visually impaired fire victims. Initially, he said these persons with disabilities will be prioritized in the lot allocation.

Tribunalo said fire victims asked the province and the city to extend their stay until March next year so that the schooling of their children will not be affected.

"So far, wala kaayo’y resistance from the fire victims. Anytime, pwede na ma occupy ang relocation site, but we understand nga naay emotional and psychological attachment sa lugar," he said.

Tribunalo said the province will construct a habitable temporary camp where fire victims can stay near the fire stricken area.

The city government will also assist the province in clearing the fire site to pave the way for the establishment of two roads leading to I.T. Park to decongest the traffic in the area. (FREEMAN)