Pagadian City allocates PHP5-M funds to help fire victims

• Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?nid=2&rid=768346
• Wednesday, June 3, 2015

(PNA), FFC/RCK/TPGJR/HDC

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, June 3 (PNA) -– The local government has allocated PHP5 million to provide financial assistance to the thousands of Monday’s fire victims from two coastal barangays of this city.

Mayor Romeo Pulmones told the Philippines News Agency that the financial allocation was taken from this city’s calamity funds as authorized by the City Council through a resolution approved Tuesday.

Pulmones said the funding allocation will be spent for food and other basic needs and cash financial assistance for the fire victims.

Pulmones said the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) listed more than 2,000 families that were affected in the fire incident that hit the coastal barangays of Santiago and San Pedro.

More than PHP20 million worth of properties were burned to ashes during the fire that broke out around 12:10 p.m. Monday in one of the houses at Purok Campo Islam, Barangay Santiago.

The fire fanned out towards the adjacent barangay of San Pedro due to strong winds and razed at least 1,500 houses mostly made of light materials and semi-concrete structures, a school and a Day Care Center.

A septuagenarian man was killed while his wife was injured in the fire that lasted for four hours.

The fire victims are temporarily housed at this city’s gymnasium, Plaza Luz’ covered court, Barangay Kawit covered court, and San Pedro Elementary School.