LAPU-LAPU CITY fire
AFTER a disaster, more suffering usually comes for its survivors.
For Rosie Pil, 38 years old and a mother of three, any help — no matter how small — is welcome to alleviate their suffering brought about by a fire which struck their home last Monday in Sitio Kaimitohan, Barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu City.
Rosie’s family is among 360 evacuees coming from 72 families and 48 households who have sought temporary shelter at the Sudtunggan Elementary School in Lapu-Lapu City since 4 p.m. Monday, when their houses were burned.
“Hilom lang siya, linaw ra gyud to siya. Unya nikalit lang nga naay nisyagit ug ‘Sunog! Sunog!’ Unya nag-panic na mi,” she said.
(It was quiet and peaceful that day. Then suddenly, someone started to scream “Fire! Fire!” And then we panicked.)
Though Rosie, her husband and their children were safe from the fire, they were not able to save any of their belongings including appliances and clothes.
“Lisud kaayo kay ang imong pinaningkamotan sa pila ka tuig mura’g nihanaw lang sa wala ba, nahimo lang ug abo,” she said with tears in her eyes,
(It’s very difficult to cope with the fact that all the things we’ve worked so hard for over the years vanished just like that and turned into ash.)
She appealed to the public for any form of aid, no matter how little, to help them with their struggles.
“Bisan tabang nga ginangmay lang makahupay lang sa amoang kakulang karon, sa among kahingawa nga nawala ang among mga gipanghagoan. Nanghinaot mi nga naay makadungog ani nga mga organisasyon o mga kawani sa atoang nasud nga gamay lang hinabang ang among gipangayo,” she said.
(Even only a little can ease our hardship and grief about all the things which we worked hard for only to be lost. We hope that charitable organizations or even government officials will listen to our plea for even a little aid.)
Barangay Basak Gender and Development (GAD) representative Esterlina Bautista said that village workers have taken different shifts during the day and night to take care of the evacuees.
Barangay Captain Isabelito Darnayla and all village councilors are currently attending a seminar in Baguio City.
“We want to be there for the evacuees when they need something so that we can help them immediately. It would be hard for them if they have nobody to turn to for help,” Bautista said in Cebuano.
While they were able to feed the evacuees through a makeshift soup kitchen using food donated by the barangay, they are still short on drinkable water.
Bautista said that there have been no other sources of aid other than what has been provided by Barangay Basak and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The evacuees who were homeowners will receive P5,000 financial aid from DSWD, while those who were renting houses will have to divide the money with their landlords.
Ten sacks of rice and several boxes of sardines and noodles were also purchased by the barangay and given to the victims. /CNU Intern Sheen Manigo