The October 9 fire in that destroyed houses in Zone Patatas of Barangay Paknaan and Sitio Latasan in Barangay Labogon has prompted their respective barangay captains to consider putting the barangays under a state of calamity on Monday, October 12. |Contributed Photo
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — The barangay captains of Labogon and Paknaan in Mandaue City are set to place their respective barangays on Monday, October 12, 2020, under a state of calamity.
This developed after a late October 9 fire in Sitio Latasan in Barangay Labogon and Zone Patatas in Barangay Paknaan destroyed 25 houses and displaced some 76 families or an estimated 300 individuals.
Read: Friday night fire razes 25 homes in 2 Mandaue City barangays
Labogon Barangay Captain Amado Manatad said that they would need to declare a state of calamity in the barangay so that they could have access to the barangay’s funds to help the fire victims.
“Sabado man ron, among plano ig Lunes. Kay wala may bangko ron, nagremedyo ra mi diri nga mapakaon ni sila,” said Amado Manatad, Labogon barangay captain.
(Since today is Saturday, we plan [to declare a state of calamity] on Monday. Since there are no banks open, we will just do what we can to feed them [the fire victims].)
“By Monday tanawon nato ato funds didto, labi na gyud sa atong quick response ug naa pa ba, and then kung naa pa, mao man gyud na procedure modeclare tag state of calamity,” said Malak Soco, Paknaan barangay captain.
(We will have to see our funds by Monday, especially our funds for quick response if we have them. And then if we have them, that is our procedure to declare a state of calamity.)
“Makig meet dayun ko sa council para ana. Something nga dili pa ko ka ingon kay ato pang tan-awon sa ato panudlanan,” said Soco.
(I will still have to meet the barangay council for that. Something that I could still not do [declaring a state of calamity] because we still have to look at our barangay funds.)
Challenging month for Paknaan
LOOK: Flooded areas in Barangay Paknaan on October 4
Read: Boy hurt; over 400 houses flooded in Mandaue City
Soco also said that October had been quite challenging for them as the barangay was also affected by the flood just last week.
“Naguol gyud. Murag gidaog-daog ang Barangay Paknaan ron. Sagdi lang basta maayo ang panlawas. Wala man sad tay laing casualty, ma agwanta ra gihapon,” Soco said.
(I am saddened by the turn of events. It seems like Barangay Paknaan has to endure these hardships. But it is okay as long as we have good health. There was also no casualty in the incidents and we can endure these.)
Read: Paknaan teachers chip in to help pupils affected by Oct. 4 floods
Fire victims’ list, assistance
Meanwhile, Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes has ordered the City Social Welfare Services (CSWS) to finalize the list of affected individuals of Friday’s fire in Barangays Paknaan and Labogon.
Cortes, who was saddened by fire that hit the two barangays, said that the CSWS would need to finalize the list of affected individuals so that the city government could fast-track the fire victims’ financial assistance.
As of 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10, CSWS has listed 76 affected families or an estimated 312 individuals — 17 families from Zone Patatas in Barangay Paknaan and the rest from Sitio Kimwa Latasan in Barangay Labogon.
As of now, the CSWS personnel continue to gather data of the affected residents and renters.
The fire victims are currently housed in the Paknaan Elementary School and Labogon National High School.
Dr. Maricel Yu, Mandaue CSWS head, said the area where the fire happened was a government-owned lot, so, the fire victims could still return to their areas and rebuild their homes.
“Dili ni sila mapapahawa kay government-owned mana. Mao nang uban wala nipahawa, ang uban (fire victims) tua ra didto hadlok mapulihan,” Yu said.
(They will not be displaced because the lot where the fire happened is government-owned. That is why we others did not leave their razed houses because they are afraid that someone might take their lot from them.)
Since Friday night (October 9), the CSWS has provided pillows, mats, and meals for the fire victims. Meals will last until Monday, October 12, 2020.
The CSWS is also set to give P10,000 cash assistance to the homeowners and P5,000 to the renters and sharers.
Fire investigation
Based on the initial investigation of the Mandaue City Fire Department, the fire originated at the ceiling of the second floor of the one of the houses in the area.
BFP Mandaue is still investigating the cause of the fire.
Total damage to properties was estimated to be worth P220,000./dbs