By Dominic B. dela Cruz (Staff Reporter)
Laoag City—Mayor Michael M. Keon and the city social welfare and development office (CSWDO) personally visited the families of Mrs. Fe Cadelinia and Mrs. Anita Ventura of Brgy. Dibua South this city immediately after a fire incident on November 5, 2020.
Reports said the houses of Mmes. Cadelinia and Ventura were totally damaged by the fire; while the house of Ofelia Cadelinia, located near them, was partially damaged.
In an interview with Mrs. Ventura, she said all their belongings inside their house were all burned and they were unable to save anything.
CSWDO officer-in-charge Perlita Cabello said each of the three families received food packs from the city government consisting of eight kilos of rice, 12 packs of noodles, 20 sachets of coffee, 12 cans of sardines and eight cans of corned beef.
The CSWDO also gave additional food packs for each family: six kilos of rice, four cans of sardines, four cans of corned beef and five twin sachets of coffee.
They also gave assorted clothes for children and adults, towels and slippers.
Ms. Cabello said that the city government will give PHP5,000 as financial assistance to the two families whose houses were totally damaged and a certain amount to the partially damaged one.
She likewise recommended said families to the DSWD regional office for additional financial assistance.
Meanwhile, Mr. Keon also gave personal financial assistance to the victims.
He also instructed Ms. Cabello to recommend said families to the National Housing Authority (NHA) for whatever assistance that they may receive.
Relative to this, the mayor appealed to the public “who has abundant blessings or anyone who wish to help the victims”.
In an initial investigation conducted by the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), it said they received a phone call at around 12:35 pm about a fire incident at Brgy. Dibua South, this city; they immediately dispatched three fire trucks.
“Segun ti imbestigasyon kadagiti agtalinaed, inbaga da a tay uram ket gapwanan dagiti dua nga ubbing a nagay-ayam ti apoy yantay paglutwan iti binogbog wennu tay kanen iti baboy nga idiayen a nasindyan da dagitay stock piles a karkarton,” SFO1 Lowell Tungpalan disclosed.
The BFP estimated the damages at PHP250,000, but they clarified that the damages may be higher when they know the other appliances and equipment destroyed inside the house.
The damaged houses were made of light materials, according to the BFP, which made the fire harder to quell. They also said the narrow road leading to the houses also became a problem for them.
Laoag mayor Michael M. Keon and some members of the city council together with the CSWDO officer-in-charge Perlita Cabello personally visit the damaged houses at Barangay Dibua South on November 5, 2020. The city government of Laoag and the DSWD gave food packs and financial assistance to the victims. The mayor also personally gave financial assistance to the victims.
Doms dela Cruz