Former Special Assistant to the President Bong Go visits fire victims in Orion, Bataan on Friday (Feb. 1, 2019). (Photo by Ernie Esconde)
ORION, Bataan -- Fire victims in this town on Friday asked former Special Assistant to the President Bong Go not to relocate them and instead let them stay where they have been living for years.
The victims of the fire that razed some 900 houses last Tuesday were in tears, saying their families had been staying in Sitio Depensa in Barangay Capunitan for almost 20 to 40 years.
“Diyan na tumanda ang aming mga magulang ,kaya ayaw naming umalis (That is where our parents grew old. That is why we do not want to leave),” a weeping man told Go in Visayan.
Most of the 1,018 families, victims of the fire, were natives of Masbate and Cebu.
The local government unit said the victims will no longer be allowed to build their houses in the same area and instead will be transferred to another village, which is also near the coastal area.
“Ayaw naming lumipat dahil nandoon ang pamumuhay namin at nakasanayan na namin. Hindi naman delikado doon dahil matagal na kami doon (We do not want to transfer because that is where our source of livelihood is and we are to the place. It is not dangerous there because we have been there for a long time),” another man in tears said.
“Lagyan ng seawall, tambakan at renovate. Mga apo namin diyan nag-aaral (Put a seawall. Fill it up with soil and renovate. Our grandchildren are studying there as well),” an elderly woman said.
The woman said they have been staying in Depensa since 1976.
“Gusto namin doon bumalik. Doon kami lumaki, masaya kami kahit mahirap kami (We want to go back there. We grew up there and we are happy even though we are poor),” another woman said.
Go sympathized with the fire victims, saying “Ako’y nalulungkot sa nangyari sa inyo. Kami po naman, local government at national sa ilalim ni Presidente Duterte, ay handang tumulong sa inyo. Para sa akin, kapakanan ng nakakarami ang uunahin natin (I feel sorry for what had happened to you. We, the local government and the national government under President Rodrigo Duterte, are ready to help you. For me, the welfare of the majority is our priority),” he said.
As to the wish of victims not to be relocated, Go said that Governor Albert Garcia is willing to help, thinking of the safety and what is best for the majority.
He said that he will talk with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the National Housing Authority to go to the governor and discuss with him a possible solution to the problem.
Garcia said what they were attending to was the temporary relocation of the fire victims at the Fisheries School, also in Orion. The evacuees were transferred to the school from the Capunitan Elementary School.
“After this, there should be a place where we can build their houses temporarily while doing the best permanent solution,” the governor said in Tagalog.
He said that DENR and other agencies have already inspected areas in Capunitan and Barangay Daan Pari, also in Orion, to check locations for temporary houses.
“Matapos ang pag-aaral, permanenteng mga bahay ang gagawin na kumpleto ng comfort room at maayos na facilities na hindi makakasama at makakatulong sa rehabilitation ng Manila Bay (After the study, permanent houses will be built with comfort room and proper facilities that will not badly affect and instead could help in the rehabilitation of Manila Bay) ” Garcia said.
We are asking for broad understanding. At the start, we have to sacrifice before we attain convenience,” the governor told the evacuees.
Garcia prepared food and with Orion Mayor Antonio Raymundo, 1st district Rep. Geraldine Roman, and other officials joined the evacuees for lunch in celebration of his 49th birthday. (PNA)
