SPECIAL Assistant to the President, Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go visited the Ermita fire victims temporarily staying at the Barangay Ermita Sports Complex and the Ermita Elementary School yesterday.
Go was in Cebu City to distribute over P3-million in relief goods such as clothes, tents, food packs, and medicines to 668 families (over 2,000 individuals) who were displaced by Monday’s fire, from the Office of the President.
He also gave assistance to the relatives of Jovielyn Digman and John Mark Digman, two of the children who perished during last Monday’s fire, but refused to say what kind of aid was given to the Digman family.
“Naa ra mi gamayng gihatag nila (We just offered them a little help),” said Go.
He denied speculations that he was making his presence felt in preparation for future election plans.
“Sa tinuud lang, trabaho ning akoa nga mutuyok. Dili naman gud tanan lugar matuyokan sa presidente. Akoy ga representar niya para magpaabot sa iyahang condolences ug pakiramay sa mga pamilya,” said Go. (This is part of my job to go around the country because the President cannot go to all the places. I am representing him and relaying his condolences to the family.)
Asked about plans to join the Senatorial Race next year, Go would not give a categorical statement and merely said he will leave it to God.
Reconstruction
Meanwhile the fire victims in Sitios Ermita Proper and Kawit in Barangay Ermita may start reconstructing their homes before the end of the month.
The Cebu City Government’s Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP) is set to clear the fire site next week, May 16.
DWUP operations officer Genevieve Alcoseba said they will remove debris and other obstructions before the 759 families displaced by the fire last Monday can rebuild their homes.
Residents will be required to set back their houses by half a meter from a pathway or street.
“The clearing operations will probably take a week or less, but not more than a week. We will be determining anytime this week what type of heavy equipment will be used in demolishing other obstructions in the fire site,” said Alcoseba.
Sitios Ermita Proper and Kawit are covered by the Cebu City Government’s socialized housing program.
Relief goods
The Department of Social Welfare and Development in the region (DSWD-7) has distributed family food packs and relief goods.
DSWD Regional Director Evelyn Macapobre said each family will receive 6 kilos of rice, coffee, canned meat and sardines, clothing, kitchen kits and sleeping kits.
The food packs are good for two to three days for a family of five to six and are halal certified, Macapobre said.
The Department of Health likewise assured hospitalized fire victims that they would be able to avail of the zero balance billing under the Malasakit program.
“We have installed a clinic, together with the Cebu City Health Office, to monitor the health of the fire victims, especially the children,” DOH Regional Director Jaime Bernadas said. /with Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza