Cebu City Council to hold special session for calamity aid of fire-stricken barangays

This desolate scene taken on Feb. 6, 2019, shows what is left of Sitio Bato, one of the three sub-villages in Barangay Ermita, Cebu City destroyed by a two-hour fire on Feb. 5, 2019. The blaze razed 273 houses and rendered homeless 629 families or 2578 individuals. | CDNDigital Photo by Tonee Despojo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Council will hold a special session on Friday, February 8, to tackle the aid for the fire victims in Barangay Pardo and Barangay Ermita.

Vice Mayor Edgar Labella, who sits as presiding officer of the Council, confirmed this on Thursday, February 7.

Read: Fire razes at least 100 houses in 3 sitios in Ermita, Cebu City

“There will be a special session at 10 a.m. tomorrow in order to address the calamity issues on the fire  that broke out first in Sitio Tabokanal in Pardo and the fire that struck Barangay Ermita the other day,” Labella said.

On Tuesday, fire engulfed three sitios of Barangay Ermita displacing almost 3,000 individuals.

LOOK: Scenes from Ermita fire

With only two active barangay officials in Ermita, acting Barangay Captain Efe Rupinta has expressed concern on how to release the calamity fund for the victims.

Read: Ermita officials to seek DILG advice on release of calamity fund

Rupinta earlier told CDN Digital that they will seek guidance from the city office of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on how to release the calamity fund.

Read: Pardo fire injures two cousins, burns 50 homes

Last February 3, at least 155 families were also rendered homeless after a fire broke out in Sitio Tabokanal in Barangay Pardo.