MOST of the 944 fire victims displaced by Thursday’s Sawang Calero fire can return and rebuild their destroyed houses in the nearly a hectare Block 4 of Sitio Kanipaan.
Sawang Calero Barangay Captain Ariel Yburan told Cebu Daily News that almost of the fire victims in Sitio Kanipaan are beneficiaries of the city’s Slum Improvement and Resettlement (SIR) program.
“Naay uban nga humana silag bayad. Ang uban kay nagsige pa og bayad (Some of them had already finished paying for the lots, Others are still paying them),” Yburan added.
On Thursday evening, a fire gutted more than 100 houses and displaced more or less 260 families or 944 individuals based on the data of the barangay.
Cebu City Division for the Welfare of Urban Poor (DWUP) operations chief Genevieve Alcoseba said that it would not be a problem for the residents to go back to their area since most of them grew up and lived in the barangay.
“Dili sila (fire victims) mabalaka kay sa gobiyerno ra man na. Dili g’yud angay mabalaka kun legal ilang pag-acquire sa properties. Gawas na atong illegal ilang pag-occupy sa area (Fire victims, who legally acquired their lots, would not have to worry. Those who would worry are those who occupied the lots illegally) ,” Alcoseba said.
But Alcoseba also said that there are a few fire victims, whose houses are built on a privately owned lot.
“Naa lang g’yud gamay nga portion diha nga dili sa city. Ato pani sila gi-identify sa pagkakaron. But mostly sa mga biktima naa g’yud nanukad sa city lot (There is a small portion, which is owned by a private owner. And we are still identifying those fire victims. However, most of the victims are within the city-owned lot),” Alcoseba said.
She said that they already profiled the residents under the SIR program even before the fire struck the area, which would make it easier for them to identify and verify the identities of those legally residing in the area.
Alcoseba also said that they would meet with the affected residents on Saturday to discuss the reblocking plans in the area of the city.
“We will consult them para sa atong plano nga pag restore sa pathway and set back nila,” Alcoseba said.