Iloilo fire victims seek Marcos’ help

ILOILO CITY: The Sangguniang Panlungsod has appealed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for help in providing a relocation site to 299 families or 1,123 individuals who lost their homes here due to an early morning fire on Saturday, January 28.

The council unanimously passed a resolution authored by Councilor Ely Estante Jr. and addressed to the President during their regular session on Wednesday.

“Most of the fire victims face the grim prospect of having no more place to return to as they are informal settlers whose houses were built on a privately-owned land,” the resolution stated.

According to the Bureau of Fire Protection, the fire broke out in a hut in Barangay West Habog-Habog and quickly spread to adjacent areas and a portion of Barangay San Juan since the houses are made of light and combustible materials.

“The fire blazed a wide swath of destruction covering an area of around two hectares,” the resolution added.

The victims — 202 families from West HabogHabog and 97 from San Juan — are currently in the respective elementary schools of the affected villages for temporary shelter.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas, after his meeting with the Layson family that owns the private property on Monday, said the latter will make an offer that will be subjected to review by the appraisal committee.

The City Engineer’s Office, Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Office, and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development will determine if the place is suitable for low-rise buildings.

If feasible, then an action plan will be prepared for the area, he said.

The city mayor, in a press conference on Monday, January 30, said the affected families will be prioritized in the government’s national housing program.