Mandaue fire victims to get cash assistance

CEBU, Philippines — At least 126 families in Mandaue City will receive financial assistance after a massive fire hit more than 100 homes across Sitio Pokang in Barangay Looc and Purok Orchids in Barangay Opao last Friday.

City Councilor Jennifer Del Mar, chairperson of the Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, told reporters on Monday, January 27, that families with partially damaged homes will receive P5,000, while those whose homes were completely destroyed will be provided P10,000 in financial aid.

Based on the record of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, there is one house that was partially burned, and 49 houses that were completely damaged in Barangay Looc. There were also 51 houses recorded to have been totally burned in Barangay Opao.

Del Mar said that the City Social Welfare Services (CSWS) will be in charge of distributing the financial aid to the families affected by the fire.

In addition, a burial assistance of P10,000 will be provided to the family of a 62-year-old woman who was discovered unconscious after sustaining first-degree burns on her right arm.

Although Norma Fomoyaso was taken to the Mandaue District Hospital, she was pronounced dead at 2:30AM of January 25 due to acute myocardial infarction or heart attack.

Fomoyaso was the only fatality in the fire incident, albeit, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) described it as an "indirect" death. Councilor Jimmy Lumapas, on the other hand, confirmed the burial assistance and mentioned that there may be a possibility of increasing the amount if needed.

“10k atong burial assistance nga ihatag ug dako siya og bayranan pwede pa dak-an nato ang assistance,” said Lumapas.

Del Mar explained that the city cannot declare a state of calamity despite the magnitude of the damage because the guidelines require at least 15 percent of the population and 30 percent of livelihoods must be affected for such a declaration to be made.

Currently, at least 477 individuals are being sheltered in evacuation centers located at the barangay gyms in Looc and Opao. — (FREEMAN)