8 stalls destroyed in fire

A TOTAL of P300,000 worth of surplus appliances were destroyed in a fire that gutted eight stalls in Port Area, Manila, on Monday. Fortunately, the blaze that started at 11:30 a.m. did not spread to the supplies warehouse of the Philippine Red Cross which was located nearby. Manila fire marshal Supt. Kaime Ramirez said the fire started at the stall owned by Khadi Rasid on Roberto S. Oca Street. The flames then spread to adjacent stalls with some vendors claiming they heard an explosion before the fire broke out. Although the stall owners lost their wares after the blaze spread to the warehouse behind their stalls, the fire did not reach the Red Cross-owned warehouse beside it. Arson investigators reported no injuries or deaths in the fire although damage to property was estimated at almost P300,000. The cause, on the other hand, remained under investigation. Maricar B. Brizuela

QC to evaluate schools

IN A BID to raise the quality of public education, the Quezon City government will soon start regularly evaluating the performance and adequacy in equipment of all schools under its supervision. Mayor Herbert Bautista signed into law on April 10 the “Quezon City Public Schools Comprehensive Assessment Ordinance” which will ensure that both teachers and students in the public school system perform exceptionally and are provided with sufficient learning tools and facilities. The measure will take effect 15 days after its publication in any newspaper of general circulation. Jeannette I. Andrade