Food packs are being distributed to the fire victims of Calamba, Cebu City on July 27,2017.
Fire victims of Barangay Calamba, Cebu City, have to wait for sometime before receiving the financial assistance and housing materials promised to them by Cebu City Hall.
In the meantime, “take home kits” consisting of food and other basic necessities were provided for the 1,355 residents that were displaced by last Monday’s fire that destroyed 218 houses.
That’s small comfort for Christy Beruin, a 39-year-old mother of eight children, who lost her belongings to the fire.
She said she and her family were delayed in saving their belongings since they were some distance away from the fire.
But strong winds helped spread the fire to her home, forcing her to save her children first.
“Maayo na lang napuyo dinhi kaysa wala (Good thing we’re staying here, better than nothing),” Beruin said, referring to the Calamba sports complex where she and the other displaced families are temporarily staying.
The kit includes a gallon of water, blanket, native mat or banig, kettle, pot, butane stove, rice, canned goods and others.
Three portable toilets were set up at the back of the sports complex.
Jojo Quijano, the officer in charge of the barangay mayor’s office in Calamba, said the validation may be finished today.