Fire survivors in San Roque ‘can rebuild’ their homes

CITY HALL’S POSITION. Informal settlers in last Sunday’s fire will be allowed to return even though they don’t own the property. (SunStar photo / Amper Campaña)
CITY HALL’S POSITION. Informal settlers in last Sunday’s fire will be allowed to return even though they don’t own the property. (SunStar photo / Amper Campaña)

CLOSE to 300 families who lost their homes to the fire that struck Sitio Panting, Barangay San Roque in Cebu City Sunday afternoon, Nov. 3, 2019, can rebuild even though the property doesn’t belong to them.

On final count, the fire destroyed 123 houses and affected 1,057 individuals.

“I was told that it is a private property but it has always been the position of the City that no one should be dislocated by reason of fire. Kinahanglan pabalikon na nato sila (We need to let them return),” said Mayor Edgardo Labella.

“If the owner wants to have something done in his property, he has to resort to legal remedies. Once informal settlers aren’t allowed to return after a fire, it will set a precedent. Any landowner with a squatting problem will no longer go through legal and judicial processes. There be will fires everywhere,” Labella said in a mix of Cebuano and English.

The mayor ordered the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor, Department of Engineering and Public Works and the Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification and Enhancement to reblock the fire-stricken area.

One of the problems encountered by firefighters last Sunday was the narrow roads that prevented their fire trucks from getting close to the fire scene.

However, houses by the creek that were destroyed by the fire will not be allowed to be rebuilt since the City will impose the three-meter easement rule.

Meanwhile, the mayor said fire survivors will get free food for the next three days.

Labella also called on the public to donate food and other relief goods to the survivors.

Owners of destroyed houses will get P20,000 each. They will also get additional assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, National Housing Authority and Sen. Bong Go.

In another incident, last Sunday night, the Cebu City Fire Station received an alarm in Sitio Lutaw-Lutaw, Barangay Tisa at 9:24 p.m.

Firefighters had the blaze under control 11 minutes later. They declared the fire out at 10:22 p.m.

According to SFO2 Hermes Molina, the fire destroyed a room in the house of the Cuevas family. Damage estimates were placed at P15,000.

Investigators believe a vigil lamp was the culprit. (From PAC, BBT of SuperBalita Cebu, PJB)

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