Alang-Alang fire victims barred from rebuilding

CEBU, Philippines - The victims of the recent fire in Sitio Tinago, Barangay Alang-Alang, Mandaue City will face another problem now that the lot owners would no longer allow them to rebuild their damaged houses.

Mandaue City Social Welfare Officer Violeta Cavada relayed this information in her letter dated June 9, 2014 to the City Council copy of which made available to The Freeman.

As this developed, the City Council has passed a resolution declaring Sitio Tinago, Barangay Alang-Alang as State of Calamity based on the recommendation of Cavada.

Cavada informed member of the City Council that the victims of the recent fire still in the state of shock after losing their belongings and houses.

Cavada said the fire victims need financial assistance to start all over again.

But the big problem of the fire victims, according to Cavada that needs immediate attention after the lot owners allegedly would no longer allow them to rebuild their damaged houses.

The fire believed to have originated from the house of one Rose Maloloy-on broke about a little past 1 p.m. of June 8, 2014. The fire totally damaged 16 houses and a total of 48 families homeless.

Cavada said that most of the fire victims not able to recover their personal belongings because it was sudden and the priorities of the families are the safety of their family members especially the children and senior citizens.

Cavada also reported based on the initial investigation by the Mandaue Fire investigators that the cause of the said fire are the children playing with the lighted candles since the family of Rose Maloloy-on did not have a supply of electricity after it has been cut off.

Cavada also informed members of the city council that majority of the fire victims are now temporarily housed at Alang-Alang Day Care Center and a chapel in the barangay.

The city council is declaring Sitio Tinago, Barangay Alang-Alang as State of Calamity approved the recommendation of Cavada that an amount of P10,000 allocated as financial assistance to house owners, P5,000 financial assistance for house renters and those house partially damaged.

The city council also approved the request of Cavada to allocate P66,000 for payment of  the three day catered foods for fire victims.

The City Social Welfare Office provided foods to fire victims after the fire, the same with the Office of Sixth District Representative Luigi Quisumbing. (FREEMAN)