Mandaue’s CSWS readies cash aid for Hermag fire victims
Residents try to save their belongings from the fire that gutted down 11 structures in Sitio Upper Hermag in Pagsabungan, Mandaue City on Wednesday afternoon, April 24. | CDND PHOTO/Paul Lauro
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — The Mandaue City Social Welfare Services Office (CSWS) is preparing the cash aid for the 24 families who lost their homes to the late afternoon fire that broke out at Sitio Upper Hermag in Barangay Pagsabungan, Mandaue City on Wednesday, April 24.
The 24 families, composed of at least 80 individuals, are temporarily taking shelter at the chapel of the nearby Hermag Village. CSWS Chief Jessie Perez said that they had already given the affected families with three days worth of relief items, sleeping materials, and hygiene kits.
One unit of the city’s mobile kitchen is also stationed near the chapel and is being manned by barangay workers to provide meals for the fire victims.
The fire in Barangay Pagsabungan, Mandaue City happened two days after Barangay Lahug in Cebu City was also hit by a fire that also affected 24 families.
Read more: Lahug brgy officials prepare aid for fire victims
Perez, in an interview on Thursday, April 25, said those homeowners who totally lost their homes would receive P10,000 while renters, sharers and homeowners whose houses were partially burned would be given P5,000 aid.
Perez said they had yet to conduct the validation of the affected individuals in order to allocate the right cash aid for each family.
Chief Inspector Bernard Batnag, Mandaue City fire marshall, said the fire gutted down 11 structures in the area including two two-storey residential buildings all made up of light materials.
Mandaue City Fire Department received the alarm at 5:51 p.m. It was raised to second and third alarm at 6:04 p.m. and 6:14 p.m., respectively.
Batnag said their initial investigation revealed that the fire started at the second floor of the house of a certain Mercedes Aliguay. However, Batnag said they had yet to determine the cause of the fire.
The fire department pegged the damage to property at P95,000./dbs
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