City Gives Aid to Mambaling Fire Victims

Days after the tragic fire which burnt 68 houses in Sitios Huyong-Huyong and Tinabangay, Barangay Mambaling, the City Government of Cebu  headed by Mayor Michael Rama distributed relief goods and cash aids for the fire victims on Tuesday July 16.

Mayor Rama together with City Administrator Atty. Jose Marie Poblete, City Market and Prevention Restoration Order Beautification Enhancement (PROBE) chief Raquel Arce, Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) head Dr. Ester Concha, and some Mambaling village officials personally went to the Viking Gym, in Barangay Mambaling where the distribution was conducted.

The People’s Mayor who visited the fire victims last Sunday following the incident immediately called the attention of the various concerned offices in the city to provide urgent assistance such as foods and tents, among others. He further said that the fire victims can re-build their shanties but some roads have to be cleared and restored for the fire trucks to pass through in case another fire incident occurs.

The 147 affected families received each a Ten thousand pesos (Php10,000.00) cash, relief goods and housing materials amounting to Php5,360.00. This includes 5 pieces of both galvanized iron and ply-woods, and starter kit of the Cebu City Risk Reduction Management Office that comprises kitchen utensils, slippers, pail, water dipper, jar, blanket, basin, undergarments, can goods, noodles, and 3 kilos of rice, among others.

DSWS updated records shows that a total of 640 persons are affected by the fire, from 150 families and 68 burnt houses in the said two sitios which are already declared on the state of calamity.

Concha clarified that of the 150 affected families, 3 of which are only lodgers but they also received the relief goods sans the cash aid.

The city has allocated Two Million Seven hundred Ninety-Eight thousand and One hundred Twenty pesos (Php2,798,120.00) charged to its calamity funds for the distribution of the relief goods and the cash aid.

Moreover, PROBE chief Raquel Arce has shared that there will be no re-blocking but only clearing and restoring of roads, adding that “Makabalik na sila sa ilang mga pwesto ug makapatukod sa ilang mga panimalay, kay dili man ni pareha sa Bato Ermita nga kinahanglan ug re-blocking.” (By: Greggy Jiggs P. Senados, PIO Staff)