ILOILO City – All those displaced by the fire that hit a neighborhood in Zone 1, Barangay Old Airport, Mandurriao district were illegal settlers. They welcomed the plan of the city government to move them to a relocation site.
Charlita Villareal, 64, recalled that there had been previous talks with the landowner for them to leave Zone 1.
“Sa tuod lang dugay na gid man kami nga ginapahalin….Wala kami gahambal nga indi kami maghalin kay ti nakatapos amon kabataan sa dira nga wala kami ginabayran. Kulang lang sa istorya,” said Villareal, one of the longest-staying illegal settlers in the area – around 40 years already, she told Panay News.
According to Villareal, for as long as there is a relocation site for them, “Wala gid ya kami problema nga mahalin.”
Currently, most of the fire victims whose house were totally damaged were taking shelter at Mandurriao Elementary School.
Villareal said they were thankful that the city government was sustaining their needs.
“Halin sa pagkaon asta sa tubig, gina-shoulder nila. Gasulobra lang ang grasya nga nagaabot sa amon,” Villareal said.
Private individuals and organizations were also helping.
Myrna Salarda, City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO)’s monitoring officer in Mandurriao, said: “Ang ginapangayo namon kon may mamangkot kon ano pa ang kinanglanon…naga-ayo kami sang mga diapers, toiletries kag gatas.”
“Kay damo naman kita bugas, canned goods kag used clothing,” she said.
According to Mayor Jerry Treñas, the fire victims can transfer to relocation site Barangay Sambag, Jaro district before the end of the month.
The final report of the CSWDO counted 45 totally damaged houses and 18 partially damaged ones, with a total number of 93 families displaced.
The March 11 fire left P1.4-million property damage, according to the Bureau of Fire Protection.
This was so far the biggest fire here this year, and it ironically happened while the city was marking March as Fire Prevention Month, lamented Chief Inspector Publio Ploteña, city fire marshal./PN
