Lot owners won't extend financial aid to fire victims

CEBU, Philippines - The owner of the one-hectare lot in sitio Aroma in barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City, where a fire last March 15 destroyed houses of illegal occupants, will not extend financial assistance to the affected families.

Barangay Subangdaku captain Walter Dy yesterday said a letter from Henry Tanchan, one of the owners of the lot, stated that the lot owners no longer want the fire victims to rebuild their homes in the area.

Aside from the letter Dy received from the Tanchan family last Monday, he also accompanied Henry Tanchan to the office of Mayor Jonas Cortes.

Dy said the mayor appealed to Tanchan to give the occupants six months to remain in the area until the city finds a relocation site for them.

Dy said Tanchan did not promise anything to the mayor considering that he is not the sole owner, the lot being owned by a corporation.

Tanchan’s letter explained that no financial assistance would be extended to the affected families because they have been allowed to occupy the lot without having to pay any rent for 20 to 30 years, Dy said.

Tanchan had suggested that the victims instead seek financial help from the city, Dy said.

“Kabahin sa relocation ug financial assistance, adto na lamang ninyo kini ihangyo sa syudad kay mao kini ang gihatagan og gahum nga mohatag og relocation ug financial assistance base sa R.A. 7279 gitawag nga “Urban Development Housing Act of 1992” labi na diha sa section 28 sa maong balaud,” Tanchan’s letter stated.

With this development, Dy said the affected residents and the mayor would meet on Friday to try to solve their problem.

It was the third time that a fire occurred in Sitio Aroma, first in 1994, second in 2003 and the last one was last March 15.

During the fire in 2003, the Tanchan family intended to extend financial assistance to the 648 fire victims but the promised assistance did not materialize prompting the residents to rebuild their homes.

This time, however, the Tanchan family has fenced the lot. —Flor Z. Perolina ( FREEMAN NEWS)