After Luz fire, school house ready again for classes

Classrooms that were used as shelters for fire victims were the target of a cleanup by City Hall personnel  in the Barangay Luz Elementary School yesterday.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama led  employees as part of  the nationwide “Brigada Eskwela” volunteer cleanup  campaign  in prepapration for the opening of classes tomorrow.

The classrooms were used for more  than two weeks by victims of the barangay  Luz fire that left 546 families homeless.

City Hall staff painted windows and swept floors.

The city’s demolition team led by market administrator Raquel Arce also removed illegal structures and other obstructions from the barangay road.

The cleanup formed part of Rama’s City Hall  program to bring services “at your doorstep”.

The mayor said the road clearing would allow fire trucks and other emergency vehicles to pass in case of fire or other emergencies.

“We spend a lot whenever there’s a fire.  Road widening is a calamity preparedness measure,” Rama said.

Many of the  1,979 fire victims from four sitios of  Abella, Lubi, City Central and Sto. Niño temporarily stayed in the school.   They were asked to vacate the campus last t May 30 for tomorrow’s opening of classes.

City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete said the city government shouldered expenses for  painting jobs and contsruction materials used for minor demairs of damaged classrooms. The Brigada Eskwela was scheduled on  a Saturday to draw more volunteers and finish the work in one day.  Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac