‘Families can rebuild homes’

FIRE survivors that belong to the 9.2-ha. socialized housing project of Mandaue City can rebuild their houses in Barangays Guizo and Mantuyong, but there is no assurance for families whose houses were on private properties.

Meantime, officials of the Province of Cebu and Mandaue urged political candidates to drop their donations for the affected families at the receiving area at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC), instead of directly giving it to the families.

Based on the latest records of the City Social Welfare and Services (CSWS), 2,342 families were affected in Guizo and Mantuyong after a fire broke out last Saturday dawn.

A total of 1,829 structures were destroyed.

Violeta Cavada, head of CSWS, said the number of affected families will rise because there were still families that asked to be on the list.

Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III and Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale visited yesterday the fire survivors at the CICC grounds.

Some of the families stayed under tents. Others used tarpaulins, canvas sheets and blankets.

Davide assured the families that they can still stay in the CICC grounds, a Capitol-owned property, until the re-blocking of the fire site will be finished.

“Maluoy man pud ta nila. Wala silay kapuy-an. Mahuman nang reblocking (We pity them. They can stay in the CICC until the re-blocking is completed),” Davide said.

Return

In a press conference, Tony Pet Juanico, head of the Housing and Urban Development Office (Hudo), said the families whose houses stood on the 9.2-ha. on-site socialized housing project of the city can go back to the area.

The lot covers the areas in Barangays Subangdaku, Tipolo, Guizo and Mantuyong.

Juanico said they will have to talk to families whose houses were in private properties.

“That is why among meetingon ang lot owners unsay ilang plano ani kay kana ma-displace gyud sila kung di gyud mosugot ang lot owners (We will talk with lot owners on their plan because families will be displaced, if they will no longer allow them to rebuild their houses),” Juanico told reporters.

Hudo will also coordinate with stakeholders for a possible relocation site for the fire survivors.

Hudo and the City Engineer’s Office started the demarcation of the fire site yesterday.

SFO4 Roy Garcia, chief for operations of Mandaue City Fire Department, said property damage was pegged at P2.345 million.

Garcia said they had a hard time entering the interior portion of the neighborhood because of narrow roads.

Road works

In their demarcation, they will identify areas for proper road networks so that firefighters can easily enter the neighborhood to prevent more damage, Juanico said.

“Usa ra gyud ang marching order nato sa opisina sa mayor (The marching order of the city mayor) being the chief of Housing and Urban Development Office, di na ni mausab nga grabe ang epekto sa sunog (was that damages as huge as this should not happen again),” Juanico said.

Cavada said the City prepared P25 million to P50 million in aid, kitchen utensils and food for the families.

House owners will receive P10,000 while renters will get P5,000.

City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer (DRRMO) Felix Suico said political candidates who will donate relief goods should give these to the receiving area in CICC so that the goods will be secured and the social worker can check if the food is good for consumption.

If the food packs has the name or picture of a politician, Suico said the social worker will repack this.

“If the distribution is outside the designated area (which is the CICC compound), di na mi kapugos ana. Wa na mi control ana (we no longer have control),” Suico said.

Security

Provincial DRRMO Baltazar Tribunalo Jr. said people entering the CICC should be monitored for safety and security.

The structure is no longer safe after it was damaged by the earthquake and typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

Evelyn Deguit, of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, said they will support the City in providing the needs of the families.