THE Cebu City Government has already released its financial assistance to over 500 homeowners whose houses in Sitio Lawis, Barangay Mambaling were either destroyed or damaged in the fire that hit the neighborhood on Friday evening, Nov. 26, 2021.

Portia Basmayor, head of the Department of Social Welfare and Services, said in their office’s final tally, the blaze destroyed the majority of 568 houses in Lawis. Only 25 houses were damaged.

Each homeowner received P20,000, while renters and non-renting individuals who reside in the affected houses received P10,000. The financial assistance was sourced from the quick response fund of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

Basyamor said the release of the 15.7 million in financial aid happened on Friday, Dec. 3, 2021, during the visit of Mayor Michael Rama.

The distribution of P15.7 million in financial assistance was done at Mambaling Elementary School and San Roque Parish.

The aid was released to the Lawis fire victims after the Cebu City Council held a special session last week and declared the village under state of calamity.

The Cebu City Government has set aside another P5.4 million for the purchase of housing materials.

Reblocking in the area has started to widen the streets in Sitio Lawis for easy access to emergency response vehicles like fire trucks and ambulances in case of emergency situations in the future. (KAL)