|
Wednesday, April 02, 2003
P21M lost in military school fire
By Harley Palangchao
FORT DEL PILAR -- Some P21 million worth of property was destroyed Tuesday after a two-hour fire gutted the two-story Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Mayo Hall, which serves as barracks for about 80 upper class cadets.
But this did not stop the PMA from holding the annual traditional reception of 290 incoming plebes, including 11 "turnbacks", which started four hours late due to Tuesday's fire.
The PMA, the country's premier military institution, has in the past been accepting incoming plebes every first day of April.
The cadets will first undergo two-months of rigid physical training before they will be officially incorporated as members of the Cadet Corps of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Maj. Edgardo Arevalo, PMA spokesman, disclosed Tuesday that the fire started at the forested area below the Mayo Hall at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday.
It was spreading swiftly and had ravaged the PMA barracks by noon.
Firefighters, including cadets, contained the fire at around 2:30 Tuesday afternoon, Arevalo added.
"No one knows for sure yet who started the fire, but we are not pointing the fingers of blame at anybody. It is a summer month, which is why forest fires are really expected. It was unfortunate, however, that even the Mayo Hall was burned," he said.
Arevalo said all 40 rooms of the Mayo Hall were burned, but that the building's structure remained intact.
He claimed it would take the PMA about two to three months to rehabilitate the gutted building. He was not certain, however, where the funds for the rehabilitation would come from.
In the meantime, Arevalo said that the 80 cadets previously housed at Mayo Hall were temporarily transferred to the Ramos Hall. "The place is spacious so there is no problem," he said.
Sun.Star tried, but failed, to reach PMA Supt. Edilberto Adan for his comment as of press time Tuesday. Sun.Star Baguio |
|
|
|
 |
| click
to comment on this article or discuss it with other readers |
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
10 dead, 40 injured in Davao blast