Fire survivors to leave CICC for new shelter

After more than a year, fire survivors who have been staying at the compound of the Cebu International Convention Center will start to move out tomorrow, April 7.

They could either go back to the fire site or build a house at the relocation site.

The Mandaue City Government will start the drawing of lots for the 657 beneficiaries of Barangays Mantuyong and Guizo at the City Sports and Cultural Complex at 1 p.m. today. These families were displaced by a fire on March 12, 2016.

Lawyer Mae Elaine Bathan, chief of staff of Mayor Luigi Quisumbing, met with the 25 camp leaders of the survivors yesterday to discuss the guidelines for this afternoon’s event and the timeline when they will move either to the fire site or to the designated relocation area.

There will be 369 beneficiaries who can go back to the fire site, while the rest will be transferred to the relocation site, which will be located in a neighboring local government unit.

After the meeting, Bathan said that there was no resistance from the survivors as this move was for their own good.

Each beneficiary will be given the chance to participate in the drawing of lots.

The beneficiary who picks a paper with a number will have to return to the fire site; those who could get a paper with the logo of the City Government will go to the relocation site.

The number indicates the block where the families will construct their houses.

The fire survivors will be transferred to the fire site by block, based on the timeline of transfer. Beneficiaries of Block 2 will be the first to be transferred to the fire site from April 7 to 8.