Ermita fire victims fear politics to affect relocation
A number of fire victims in sitio Bato, barangay Ermita, Cebu City expressed fears they may not be allowed to rebuild their burnt homes because of their allegiance to Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK).
They visited the office of Councilor Alvin Dizon yesterday morning to complain about threats that they will no longer be allowed to rebuild their shanties.
Dizon, chairperson of the council’s housing committee, said that politics should not be a basis in the accommodation of the fire victims back into sitio Bato after the city government re-blocks the area affected by the fire.
“I am for re-blocking basta ma accommodate ang tanang affected families. No one should be left out. The city is duty bound to help them,” Dizon told reporters after his meeting with the affected families.
Barangay Ermita kagawad Winefredo Miro led about 20 Ermita residents to Dizon’s City Hall office yesterday to seek the councilor’s help.
The group complained about talks spreading in the barangay that they will not longer be accommodated in the area because of their support for BOPK.
Article continues after this advertisement“Sa panahon kalamidad way politika. Tabangan ang tanan nga apektado,” Dizon said.
Article continues after this advertisement(In times of calamity, there should be no politics. All of those affected should be afforded help.)
He also assured his visitors that he will monitor the implementation of the city’s re-blocking plans.
But Mayor Michael Rama yesterday assured the 200 affected families that all of them will be allowed to rebuild their houses after the city re-blocks sitio Bato to especially widen their community road, big enough to accommodate firetrucks.
“Ang atong direction ana nga ang tanan ma accommodate kay paninglan unya ta in the end,” said Rama who added that “I do not want to think about displacement. I want all to be accommodated.”
(Our plan is to accommodate all fire victims, lest we will be ask to account later on.)
The city government already released the P10,000 cash assistance to the affected families last Wednesday. But they are not yet allowed to rebuild their houses until the city’s re-blocking plan is completed.
Ermita barangay captain Antonieto Flores had told the affected families that they will have to vacate their makeshift shanties. /Doris C. Bongcac and Edison Delos Angeles
