AN EMPTY Christmas and, probably, a bleak New Year were what some residents of Sitio Sta. Maria in Barangay Pusok, Lapu-Lapu City, anticipated for the upcoming holidays, following a massive fire that devastated their neighborhood on Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 12, 2023.
The blaze had displaced 1,400 families (7,870 individuals), as of 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 13, according to the Public Information Office.
Fire bureau officials have attributed the quick spread of the fire in the sitio to the area’s dense population.
The City Council convened Wednesday for a special session and declared a state of calamity in Sta. Maria. The declaration will expedite the release of financial assistance to the homeowners, individuals who rent houses or rooms (renters), and individuals who share houses or rooms with another people (sharers).
A resident in Sta. Maria for 34 years, Lita Pinili, 58, was at a loss for words when she saw her house, which took years for her family to build, including her sari-sari store, being destroyed by the fire just 13 days before Christmas.
“Mora gyud kog nalup-og pagkakita nako nga gilamoy na akong balay. Nawad-an kog umoy. Ang amo lang gyud karon og naay hinabang bisan bugas lang kay lisud gyud kaayu mi karun (I felt powerless upon seeing our house engulfed in flames. If there’s any help available, even just rice, we need it because we are struggling,” Pinili said, adding that she could not comprehend why such a tragedy had occurred.
Pinili’s family was able to only save a few clothes. They now depend on donations from relatives.
Despite everything, Pinili said they were still fortunate that none of her family members were injured in the fire.
Pusok Barangay Councilor Jun Gomez, 60, said he was at the barangay hall when his daughter called to inform him of the fire.
Gomez and his daughter evacuated, saving themselves but none of their belongings.
The councilor said he was heartbroken seeing his home of 20 years destroyed by the blaze.
“I had nothing left. Today, I was able to change my clothes thanks to someone with a good heart who donated clothes to me, but that’s it,” Gomez said on Wednesday.
Special session
The City Council convened for a special after Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan called for one.
City Councilor Annabeth Cuzion, chairperson of the committee on finance and appropriations, announced that fire victims, specifically that the affected homeowners and voters will receive a P5,000 rental subsidy for three months, totaling P15,000.
Cuizon said the fire victims will also receive Emergency Shelter Assistance from the City Social Welfare and Development Office. Homeowners will receive P15,000, while sharers will receive P5,000 and renters P3,000.
Investigation
The Bureau of Fire Protection in Lapu-Lapu City still has to complete its investigation and determine the cause of the fire.
Senior Fire Officer 1 Walter Tello, chief investigator, admitted Wednesday that firefighters had faced difficulty in maneuvering their fire trucks and other equipment through the area’s narrow streets during the fire on Tuesday.
He said the houses, being close to one another and mostly made of light materials, coupled with the area’s proximity to the sea and the strong sea breeze, likely contributed to the rapid spread of the fire from one house to another.
Lot owners only
In response, Chan announced plans for a reblocking of the area and prioritizing road widening. The new policy will allow only lot owners to reside there, aiming to prevent similar incidents in the future.
“Kahibaw ta nga most naa dira (Sitio Sta. Maria) are informal settlers. Dili na ang tag-iya sa maong luna. So atong ipahibaw nga ang tukoron nga balay para puy-anan dili pwede pa abangan kay naay uban nga naay balay nagtukod og laing balay para paabangan. Dili nana pwede. Kon gusto ka magpaabang, puy-i na. Kon magpa-share ka, kana ra imohang area,” said Ahong.
(We know that most there (Sitio Sta. Maria) are informal settlers. They are not the landowners. So let’s make it clear that houses built for residence cannot be rented out. Some who have a house there tend to build another one for renting, which will no longer be allowed. If you want to rent out, you must live in it, and you can share only your area.)
Tello said the cause of the fire is yet to be determined, but it reportedly started on the second floor of a three-story house owned by a person known as “Eani” (not her real name).
According to BFP Lapu-Lapu data, the blaze was first reported at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday and escalated to a fourth alarm. The BFP declared the fire under control by 3:25 p.m. and completely extinguished at 4:57 p.m.
Earlier, Chan had estimated that at least 600 houses were destroyed by the fire. However, Tello reported about 450 houses affected, with estimated damage to properties of about P3 million.
Tello confirmed there were no fatalities, but three individuals suffered minor first-degree burns and received treatment, now recovering at the evacuation center.
Catherine Gadaga, the City Social Welfare Officer, said there were 4,417 individuals or 1,096 families are accommodated in around 200 evacuation tents under the Marcelo Fernan Bridge. She added that 11 victims opted to return to their provinces.
Gadaga also mentioned ongoing free tetanus and flu vaccinations and medical consultations for the victims.