Owner of wayward barges to pay affected families in Tondo

FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The shipping line which owned the barges that rammed and destroyed a row of shanties in Tondo, Manila, during the height of typhoon “Gener” has agreed to extend financial assistance to affected families.

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim said after a dialogue with representatives of Asian Shipping Corp., the company agreed to offer P5,000 to each families.

Two empty barges – ASC-201 and ASC-205 – that drifted off a pier rammed 42 makeshift houses nestled along the coastline of the Manila Bay in Sitio Capulong in Barangay (village) Happyland, Tondo at the height of strong winds and rains brought by “Gener” shortly before midnight Sunday.

No one was reported injured, but the incident left roughly 138 families homeless, Barangay Happyland chair Luisito Reyes earlier said.

“We requested the owner of the barges to give financial assistance, considering that the event was fortuitous and no one wanted it to happen,” Lim said during the dialogue with Happyland typhoon victims and Asian Shipping Corp. management in Manila City Hall.

Robinson Sy of ASC said that upon knowing the incident, he coordinated with the mayor’s office and City Administrator Jay Marzan for the financial support they are planning to provide to affected families.

Meanwhile, Manila Department of Social Welfare Head Jay de la Fuente said that the feeding of three meals a day to the typhoon victims still housed in Barangay 105 covered court will continue until such time that the families have returned to their respective homes.

City Administrator Jay Marzan, Chief of Staff and Media Bureau Chief Ricardo E. de Guzman, MDSW Head Jay de la Fuente and Pablo Nicolas of Asian Shipping Corporation were also present during the dialogue.