- Acting Mayor Baste assures financial aid to 273 displaced families
THE DEVASTATING fire that swept through Purok 8-A, Piapi Boulevard, Barangay 21-C, on the evening of Oct. 3, caused nearly P40 million in property damage and displaced 273 families, according to the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO).
The official report, released by CSWDO head Julie Dayaday to the media, confirms the massive scale of the destruction across Blocks 50, 57, and 64 of the riverside community.
The fire, reported at 4:50 p.m., engulfed 178 residential and commercial properties and partially damaged three structures.
The CSWDO data shows that 670 individuals are dependent on the affected families, including 309 children and 361 adults. Crucially, the CSWDO reported zero injuries and zero casualties from the incident.
The City Government, along with various public and private partners, immediately mobilized to provide aid to the hundreds of affected residents.
The immediate relief measures included:
- Hot meals are provided through a mobile kitchen, alongside supplementary meals (like champorado) from Councilor Quitain’s office and general food assistance from the City Mayor’s Office (CMO) and Congressman Pulong Duterte.
- Installation of modular tents and the establishment of a dedicated Child-Friendly Space.
- Provision of sleeping kits, family kits, hygiene kits, and kitchen kits.
- Psychological First Aid (PFA) services to assist residents dealing with the trauma of the loss.
Meanwhile, Acting Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte visited the residents displaced by the blaze on Oct. 2 at the barangay’s evacuation sites to check on their condition and convey the local government’s commitment.
The mayor assured the fire victims of financial assistance per the standard protocol for disaster relief.
