Mayor to lobby for return of Lahug fire victims

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Raymond Garcia assured the fire victims of Sitio Vicente, Barangay Lahug that he would meet with Governor Gwendolyn Garcia to discuss about their return to a Cebu Province-owned lot where a fire occurred on Feb. 27.

Mayor Garcia announced this assurance during the distribution of the financial assistance to the fire victims on Saturday, March 15, at the Lahug Elementary School.

The City’s Public Information Office reported that a total of 44 house owners received P20,000 each, 18 sharers and 17 renters got P10,000 each, and 23 lodgers and three absentee owners received P5,000 each as per data from the Department of Social Welfare and Services.

Mayor Garcia assured the fire victims that he will personally talk to Governor Garcia, his aunt, for the approval of fire victims return to their original dwelling.

“Ako mismo moadto sa Gobernador, akong ihatag niya, kay para ang ilaha ra man gud murag naay approval nga makabalik na dayon mo. Once makuha na na nato makabalik na dayon mo, okay?” Mayor Garcia said.

The mayor said that the City Government will also be meeting with officials of the Department of Education (DepEd) to ask the agency to provide access to the residents in the area, especially when going out during emergencies.

Mayor Garcia said he gave the initial task to a City councilor to reach out to the DepEd 7 officials to discuss about the matter.

“Atong hangyoon ang DepEd nga makaagi gyud mo didto. Ug dili man gani mosugot ang DepEd, mohangyo sad ta nila nga kanang in case of emergency pwede ta moagi didto. Kung di man gani sila (DepEd) mosugot kada adlaw ta moagi didto, basta in case of emergency ato na hawanan pwede ta moagi didto,” Mayor Garcia added.

Garcia is expecting the same support from DepEd just like the Cebu Business Park, which gave access to residents of Barangay Luz during emergency cases. — /JG (FREEMAN)