Cebu Prelate Urges Faithful To Help 11,000 People Left Homeless By Mandaue Fire

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma on Wednesday urged the faithful to give whatever assistance they can to some 11,000 people who were left homeless in the fire that hit Barangays Guizo and Mantuyong in Mandaue City last Saturday dawn.

Palma said helping the survivors is a form of giving thanks for being spared by the fire.

The fire victims are temporarily staying in tents set up on the grounds of the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) which is near the fire scene.

Needed are more portable toilets, wash areas and a community kitchen for those who are staying at the CICC grounds as officials prohibited them from cooking inside the tents.

Also on Wednesday, the Mandaue City Council declared the villages hit by the fire under a state of calamity to allow the city to use its calamity funds.

Mandaue City officials said they are preparing some PHP21 million in financial aid to the victims of the fire, the biggest so far to hit Cebu.

As this developed, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said he wants the city to give Mandaue at least PHP5 million as assistance.

Rama urged the city’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) to endorse the financial aid.

“If we have the money in the calamity funds, then it will have to be pursued. We have been helping other local government units in other provinces during super typhoon Yolanda. So much more with our neighbors,” he said. (PNA) LAP/EB/EDS