Gomez eyes in-city housing for fire victims

MANILA, Philippines - San Juan Mayor Guia Gomez said yesterday that she is forming an inter-agency task force to speed up the in-city housing project for the fire victims in Barangay St. Joseph.

She made the announcement following a dialogue with 1,585 families who lost their houses during a fire that hit Barangay St. Joseph early this week.

 “Once fire debris are cleared from the site, the land will be surveyed and subdivided according to whatever plan the task force will agree upon but giving emphasis on widened roads passable for fire trucks, ambulance and rescue teams, electrical and water facilities properly laid to avoid similar tragedies in the future,” Gomez said.          

She tasked the fire victims – homeowners, sharers and renters – to elect three representatives to be part of the inter-agency task force that will also be composed of representatives from government agencies to plan their housing program.