Labella hopes U.P. can consider: Fire victims should be first attended to

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City acting mayor Edgardo Labella said the question of ownership of the fire-stricken lot in Sitio Avocado, Barangay Lahug can be set aside first while the city government attends to the needs of the fire victims.

Following the fire, the University of the Philippines Cebu, which owns the lot, appeared in the picture with its plan to take the lot back for the school’s expansion.

But this could be considered later on, said Labella.

“The question of ownership can be threshed out later on. The relief of the victims must be addressed. That is the primary concern of the city that the city should take care of its inhabitants and that is the reason why we immediately cleared the area,” he told reporters.

While they welcome the statement of the UP administration that it will not take advantage of the misery of the victims, Labella said he is hoping that the school would consider the position of the city to address the problem first.

“Even before the fire, there is already that issue. Right now, there is disaster and the school (Lahug Elementary School) has to be used this January 4,” he said.

He said the city government is willing to make representations to the administration of the school after they address the problem on the fire victims.

“We’re not closing the door (for a dialogue),” Labella said.

The residents are asking both the school and the city government to help them rebuild their houses at the fire-stricken area and not in other place.

Lawyer Collin Rossel, head of the city’s Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor, said the city government is just assisting the fire victims.

“We’ll talk with UP once there is concrete housing program for the site,” he said.

“What is important is ang disaster response nato. Regarding ownership, that is something nga kun mo-dwell ta ana, will delay us for some more and complicated sad siya in character,” he added.

He said DWUP has yet to identify the lot allocation for the affected families.

Yesterday, the city government distributed P10,000 financial assistance to each of the 241 families affected by the fire, or a total of P2.4 million disbursement.  Housing materials, clothes, medicine, and blankets, among others, were also provided to the fire victims yesterday.

The city’s department heads and other employees also handed out donations to the displaced families. — Jean Marvette A. Demecillo/NSA (FREEMAN)