Victims of NCotabato fire get help

NORTH COTABATO, Philippines - The provincial government extended assistance the other day to three families left homeless by a fire that struck on New Year's Day at a residential area in Matalam, North Cotabato.

The office of North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Talino-Mendoza provided the victims with relief supplies, including non-food items, such as sleeping mats and utensils, local officials said.

The governor also provided the families of Liza Delgado Satorre, Emily Alejandro, and Rommel Buena with galvanized roofing materials they can use in constructing temporary shelters while they are reconstructing their burnt houses.

Inspector Marleap Nabor, chief of the Matalam fire station, said probers are still to determine the cause of fire that razed the adjoining houses of the three families along Graciano Lopez Jaena Street in the town proper of Matalam.

“Fortunately, no one was hurt in the conflagration,” Nabor said.

Nabor said they are grateful to barangay officials and the local government unit of Matalam for helping them prevent the fire from spreading to other houses.