Sitio Mahayahay to be declared under state of calamity after fire

The Cebu City council is expected to declare sitio Mahayahay Dos of barangay Pasil under a state of calamity after many houses in the said densely populated area went up in smoke last Monday morning.

Councilor Gerardo Carillo, chairman of the committee on social services, is expected to file a resolution during today's council session declaring the area under a state of calamity after 409 people and 79 families were left homeless.

Carillo said the council's declaration will allow the city to release funds to assist the fire victims.

City social welfare officer Cathy Yso, who was at the site last night when The FREEMAN called her up, said the city is expecting to release close to a million in calamity funds including house materials and food assistance to the victims.

"Padayon pa gihapon mi og pangpanghatag og food assistance sa ilaha hangtod karon. Kung ma-settle namo ang tanan, they will take home house materials," Yso said.

Based on their estimates last night, the city already spent P350,000 for food assistance alone.

The Cebu City Fire Department said that the fire started around 5:24 a.m. at a house owned by a certain Gaudencio Quirante Sr., 59, a fish vendor.

City fire marshal Ismael Codilla said that they are looking into the possibility of an electrical short circuit and are also checking on the reports regarding the fuel business of Quirante. There were reports that Quirante allegedly stores fuel in his house.

Codilla said they will look into possible Fire Code provisions that Quirante may have violated.

The fire was declared a general alarm to bring all available firefighting units to the area and prevent the fire from spreading to nearby shanties. No one was reported hurt in the incident.

The victims are temporarily housed at the sports complex of barangay Pasil and the Don Bosco gymnasium. The city government had sent its social welfare service workers to attend to the needs of the victims. - Garry B. Lao and Edwin Ian Melecio