Firefighters survey the fire scene in Almer’s Compound of Barangay Tabok in the afternoon of February 17, 2020. | Raul Tabanao
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Barangay Council of Tabok in Mandaue City has placed the village under a State of Calamity following the huge fire in Almer’s Compound last Monday, February 17, 2020, that rendered 274 families, or 964 individuals, homeless.
Barangay Captain Dario Tarriman said they passed a resolution late this afternoon, Feb. 19, declaring the state of calamity to enable the barangay government to tap their P285,000 calamity fund to aid the fire victims.
From their calamity fund, Tarriman said they eye to give P1,300 in cash assistance to each of the over 181 affected homeowners and P500 to each of the renters and sharers.
The Mandaue City Social Welfare and Services Office has taken care of the fire victims’ meals since Monday evening. Their hot meals provision will last until lunch on Thursday, February 20.
The CSWS is also set to give P10,000 cash assistance to the homeowners and P5,000 to the renters and sharers, Tarriman said.
“Naa gihapon sila ron sa gym. Ganiha naghatag ta og mga hibang gikan sa province… Duna pod toy promise gikan kang Congresswoman Lolypop Ouano-Dizon,” Tarriman told CDN Digital in a phone interview.
(They are still taking shelter at the gym. Earlier, the provincial government distributed relief goods for them.)
Tarriman said Ouano-Dizon promised to give P2,000 to the affected families. He added that other private donors have also come to help the fire victims.
Meanwhile, Tarriman said the owners of the privately-owned property affected by the fire may not let all of the fire victims to rebuild their homes due to outstanding balances in their lot rentals.
“Dunay uban nila nga dili nila pabalikon kay dakog utang nila. Makabalik ra to sila kay naa man gud na silay pinirmahan,” Tarriman explained.
(There are some of them who might not be allowed to return because they owe the owner in lot rentals. They can only return if they pay the overdue rent since they have signed rental agreements.)/elb