THE Dumaguete City government has distributed relief goods to the victims of a fire that hit a densely populated informal settlers’ area in Barangay Looc, Dumaguete City on Wednesday, January 15.

City Mayor Felipe Antonio ordered the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) and Looc Barangay Captain Angelita Ragay to facilitate the distribution of relief goods to the victims, City Public Information Officer Dems Rey Demecillo said on Thursday, January 16.

Demecillo said the city government would extend financial assistance to those who lost their homes.

Families whose houses were destroyed would each receive P10,000 in financial aid; those whose houses were damaged, P5,000; and those renting, P2,500, he said.

The fire, which broke out at about 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday, razed 18 houses and damaged two others. Fortunately, no one was reported hurt in the incident.

Meanwhile, the number of families or households displaced rose to 36 from the 18 reported earlier, Demecillo said.

The relief goods that were distributed to the fire victims included sleeping mats, food packs, drinking water, hygiene kits, and utensils.

A community kitchen was also set up inside the chapel in Barangay Looc to feed the victims and provide them temporary shelter.

Antonio told reporters he would look for ways to address the primary concern of the fire victims who are informal settlers, considering that they were occupying government land.

He said informal settling in Looc has been a perennial problem for the city government.

Antonio said he would look into the possibility of accommodating the settlers at a housing site that the city had acquired for Typhoon Sendong victims. (PNA)