Reblocking, van housing, MRB planned for Punta fire victims

Punta Princessa fire site. | Photo Courtesy of Cebu City PIOP

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The 827 families affected in the recent fire of five sitios in Barangay Punta Princessa will experience massive changes in the coming weeks.

Primarily, victims will have to stay in the evacuation center at the Punta Princessa Elementary School for at least a month as the city government begins the reblocking of Sitios Tuburan, Trinidad, Enriquez, Arca, and Little Bamboo, which were all affected in the fire last Saturday, June 11, 2022.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said in a media forum on June 14, 2022, that for now, the settlers will not be allowed to go back to their lots yet until reblocking plans are made.

Furthermore, there will be no fencing permits to be issued yet so that the city can outline the new roads and identify the dimensions without any structures blocking the path.

After that, those whose homes or lots are not affected by the reblocking can restart the building, while those who will be affected will be temporarily relocated to a shelter in Sitio Tuburan.

The mayor reiterated that this is a temporary solution as the city plans to put up a medium-rise building (MRB) as a permanent relocation site for the fire victims whose homes will be affected by the reblocking.

The city government has initially purchased 200 van containers that will be transformed into temporary homes and shelters.

“Ang masulod ani mga 400 ra, pero ang kasagaran makabalik raman sila. Temporary rasad gyod ni siya, ang importante ang city, and DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Services) will be preparing a medium-rise buidling for the victims,” said Lawyer Gerry Carillo, the chairperson for the disaster council.

Those who will be temporarily relocated to the van housing may stay here for the next two years until a MRB will be built on the same property.

Carillo said they have talked to the owner of the 1,500-square-kilometer private lot in Sitio Tuburan and the owner has agreed for the city to build an MRB here.

The socialized housing may be able to fit as many as 400 families, depending on the plans that will be drafted for the project.

Punta Princessa Barangay Captain Jhun Andales said that they have declared a state of calamity in the barangay to access P500,000 emergency funds.

“Dili gyod ni enough, mao na among giendorse sa City Council atong resolution aron unta makatabang sila,” said Andales.

(This is realy not enough that’s why we are endorsing it to the city council so that they can help.)

Once the City Council declares a state of calamity in the barangay, the city government can access the disaster funds to help the fire victims.

/bmjo

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