Fire victims (above) watch helplessly as their houses burn during Saturday’s fire in Barangay Apas, Cebu City. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
Declaration made to gain access to P300K assistance for the fire victims
The Apas barangay council has declared the barangay under a state of calamity after Friday’s noontime fire razed 43 houses and displaced 53 families or up to 210 individuals.
Apas Barangay Captain Ramil Ayuman said in a phone interview yesterday that his council had already met and declared the barangay under a state of calamity.
Putting the barangay under a state of calamity will give the barangay council access to the P300,000 Quick Response Fund (QRF) allotted to the barangay for use during calamities.
“They are okay with it. As long as it’s for the benefit of the fire victims, they have no problems,” he said, referring to the council’s decision.
He also said that they would be canvassing for construction materials that they could give to the fire victims to help them rebuild their homes.
They also have to determine what other forms of assistance they could extend to the victims, he said.
He added that as much as possible they will maximize their expenditure so that they can help the barangay’s fire victims and still have some savings left.
The fire victims are staying at the basketball court in Sitio PC Hills and a chapel in the barangay.
But those staying at the chapel have been advised to transfer to the basketball court since a Mass will be celebrated at the chapel today.
Ayuman said they had already set up tents for the fire victims and had also provided them with food and grocery items like noodles.
He said the Cebu City government is also extending some assistance to the victims.
Firefighters make sure that the fire is put out.
(CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
“They (city government) are also providing the meals of the victims since Friday. They will continue this for three days,” he said.
“Every time there’s a calamity, they are always there to help,” he said.
Ayuman said he was worried about the situation of the fire victims staying in tents at the basketball court especially with the forecast of rainy weather in the coming days.
“Some children are becoming sick,” he said.
According to arson investigators, last Friday’s fire started in the house of Josephine Fetiluna’s house in Sitio PC Hills, Lower RD, Barangay Apas, Cebu City.
A neighbor said that there was an explosion inside Fetiluna’s house before the fire started.
Arson investigators estimated the damage to property at P380,000./UP Intern Maurice Jitty M. Villaester
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