Fire victims near White Gold restaurant remain

THE owner of  White Gold House Restaurant repeated his appeal to the Cebu City government to remove fire victims of  Tejero and Carreta fire victims living in sidewalks near his establishment.

Alex Gaisano, who visited City Hall yesterday, said  three weeks have passed since he wrote Mayor Michael Rama about the problem,  which is  driving customers away.

Philip Zafra, the mayors chief of staff, assured Gaisano that action would be taken on his request.

Mayor Michael  Rama told Cebu Daily News last night that he would  visit the  fire victims today to persuade them to return to the areas where their homes used to stand.

“The reblocking is done and so it’s just right to let them return to their homes,” he said.

He said City Hall already released free construction materials for fire victims  to rebuild their homes.

Gaisano wrote Rama on July 17 to complain about the presence of fire victims living in sidewalks near his restaurant at  the North Reclamation Area.

He said customers were afraid to come in because of the sight of the  sidewalk settlers and fear that their vehicles may be vandalize. Fire victims already occupy David Gaisano Street in front of his store and nearby sidewalks, leaving no space for parking.

Their stay was supposed to be only temporary  since the  Tejero and Carreta sports centers were already filled with fire victims.

About  300 families now occupy  shelters built on the sidewalks and street.

Some have begun relocating to a  lot owned by Robinsons a few blocks away.

Meanwhile, Mayor Rama ordered  the city engineering office to reblock the site of Wednesday night’s fire in sitio Baka in barangay Apas.

About 14 houses were razed in the late afternoon fire in a private lot near the Gaisano Country Mall. /Correspondent Edison A. Delos Angeles