City gov’t to relocate Pasonanca fire victims

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) -  The city government’s Housing and Land Management Division (HLMD) headed by Rodrigo Pagotaisidro has no other recourse but to relocate the 84 families whose houses were reduced to ashes by fire last Sept. 27 in Barangay Pasonanca, this city.

This developed after the landowner, Regina Centeno, refused either to sell the property to the city government or to allow the families to return because she will use the property.

The families are temporarily housed at Pasonanca Elementary School, for which the Department of Education’s Division Office has given the Barangay Council of Pasonanca until Nov.15 to clear the school of fire victims.

Thus, during the inter-agency meeting yesterday at Pasonanca Barangay Hall it was decided that the fire victims will have to be transferred to the government’s relocation sites.

Records from HLMD showed that of the 84 families left homeless by the fire, there were 324 individuals, of whom 54 were house owners, 28 house sharers and 1 renter.

The fire destroyed 50 houses.

Nonetheless, Pasonanca Barangay Chairman Jun Julian said he will still try to convince the landowner through her children to sell their property to the city government so that it can be developed into an urban poor subdivision and allow the fire victims to return.

But there was no assurance yet if it could be granted. In the meantime the fire victims have to be relocated as DepEd had requested that the school be cleared of evacuees on or before Nov. 15. (Vic Larato) (111114)