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CEBU CITY, Philippines - As the Talisay City government yesterday declared barangays Tabunok and San Isidro under a state of calamity after the Wednesday afternoon fire that destroyed 200 homes, another fire struck one more home in Cebu City yesterday.
The two-storey home of Benita Alvino in barangay Kalunasan, as well as her Toyota Revo van, were completely destroyed by the fire.
FO2 Christian Orbizo said that the cause of the fire could not yet be determined, but the fire originated from the house?s garage, where the Revo was parked.
Lost property was pegged at P150,000. No one was harmed.
It was the fourth fire in Cebu this March, Fire Prevention Month.
The Talisay City Council held a special session yesterday to declare its two barangays affected by last Wednesday?s fire under a state of calamity.
Councilors allocated P1.5 million from the city?s calamity funds as financial assistance for the families affected by the fire.
?Part of the amount would be used to buy relief goods for the fire victims,? said Councilor Ben Abatayo.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, who visited the fire victims yesterday, assured that the Cebu provincial government would also extend assistance.
?We will help you rebuild each of your homes. We will strive to alleviate your suffering in the soonest possible time,? Garcia said.
Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez accompanied Garcia around the Tabunok Sports Complex, where most of the fire victims took shelter.
Capitol officials distributed among the victims relief good in the form of rice, noodles, sardines and milk. Around 200 blankets and 200 sleeping mats were also distributed.
Garcia took time to talk and console some victims.
Teresa Cabigas, 30, narrated to the governor how she tied the leg of her son, three-year-old Maximo, to a piece of furniture before she left the house to prevent him from running off.
When the fire broke out, Maximo was trapped while the house burned. He was saved by a relative, but not before suffering burns.
Tabunok barangay captain Manuel Gabriana yesterday appealed to residents of neighboring barangays who were not affected by the fire to not take advantage of the relief good being distributed.
?Let us prioritize these for those who lost their homes,? he said.
San Isidro barangay captain Adelaida Restauro said that her officials caught five people who were not fire victims trying to claim relief goods.
