(Eastern Samar Provincial Information Office)
TACLOBAN CITY — Twenty-eight families displaced by a fire that destroyed and damaged houses in Barangay 2, Maslog, Eastern Samar, have received immediate relief and rebuilding assistance from the provincial government.
Gov. Ralph Vincent Evardone led the distribution of aid, with each affected family receiving a sack of rice, a box of canned goods and construction materials, including galvanized iron sheets and plywood.
The fire broke out at around 6:18 p.m. on Sept. 5, leaving several families with totally or partially damaged homes, based on a partial assessment by the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO).
Families whose houses were totally destroyed will also receive P25,000 each in financial assistance from the provincial government. Assistance for partially damaged houses will be determined after the completion of the damage assessment.
Evardone personally met with the affected families and assured them of continued provincial government support as they recover from the disaster.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) also extended assistance, providing sleeping kits, family kits and P10,000 in financial aid to the affected households.
The DSWD assistance followed a request from Eastern Samar Lone District Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales and House Minority Floor Leader and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan.
Maslog Mayor Septemio Santiago thanked the provincial government, DSWD and other agencies for their immediate response, as well as the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) units from Maslog and Taft for their firefighting efforts.
Santiago also acknowledged Gonzales for visiting the affected families and Bishop Crispin Varquez for offering prayers and visiting the fire site.
The MSWDO continues to validate the extent of damage to the affected households. Further assistance may be extended once the assessment and the BFP’s official fire incident report are completed.
The municipal government said it will continue coordinating with national and provincial agencies to assist the affected families in rebuilding their homes and recovering from the incident.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
