By CESAR JOLITO III
The Bacolod City government unveiled a long-term plan to provide permanent housing for the 295 families displaced by the recent fire that gutted a residential area in Barangay 27.
Speaking during a consultation with survivors at the Bacolod City Government Center, Mayor Greg Gasataya assured residents that the city government is working toward safer and more secure homes, not just temporary relief.
The plan includes clearing debris from the fire-hit site, followed by an on-site housing development with proper road networks and a drainage system.
The project, Gasataya said, aims to transform the community into a livable and disaster-resilient settlement.
“I feel you, and I truly understand, but we don’t want anybody getting hurt. That’s why I’m asking you to let us ensure your safety first,” Gasataya told residents, including 92-year-old Pilar Buenafe, who pleaded to return home after losing her house in the blaze.
The city government is eyeing a partnership with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) to make the project possible.
Gasataya earlier met with DHSUD-Western Visayas Director Eva Maria Marfil to discuss the potential donation of a 7,787-square-meter property under a presidential proclamation.
Punong Barangay Freeman Madalag expressed support for the proposal, which, if realized, would allow families to eventually gain ownership of their new homes.
“That’s the long-term goal — ownership and a place they can truly call home,” the mayor said.
Gasataya said the city government is coordinating with barangay officials and the Philippine Alien Property Administration, which owns the property where the fire occurred, for acquisition.
“We will do everything we can to ensure that this property, which is owned by the government, will be donated to the city so it can be distributed to the affected families — subject to due process,” he added.
No eviction
Gasataya also denied reports that families affected by the recent fire would no longer be allowed to return to their homes.
He said misinformation circulating after the September 12 blaze only added to the burden of families already struggling to recover.
“I want to make it clear that I did not issue any statement that they would no longer be allowed to return to their area in Barangay 27,” Gasataya said.
“For now, we are focused on attending to the immediate needs of the victims,” the mayor added.
The fire, which razed 216 houses in Purok Cheriza, left 256 families homeless.
No casualties were reported, but property damage was estimated at P4.5 million.
Initial investigation by fire probers traced the cause to an electrical ignition from a wire illegally tapped from a neighboring house.
Most of the displaced families are temporarily staying at Apolinario Mabini Elementary School.
The Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD) in Bacolod is processing financial aid for affected families, while volunteers and social workers continue relief operations at evacuation centers.
The mayor also directed the DSSD to fast-track financial assistance for victims:
* P15,000 for totally damaged houses
* P10,000 for partially damaged houses
* P5,000 for renters and sharers
On Saturday, September 13, Bacolod Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez visited the fire victims and personally distributed P2.339 million in cash assistance from his personal funds.
Of the 256 families, 217 homeowners received P10,000 each, 26 renters received P5,000 each, and 13 sharers received P3,000 each./CJ, WDJ