Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan announced that she has ordered the city council to place the Isla Puting Bato under a state of calamity following the displacement of 2,000 families due to a massive fire.
Read story: https://mb.com.ph/2024/11/24/tondo-fire-reaches-5th-alarm
"We will make sure the evacuees have cash aid, food, and house reconstruction materials from our LGU, DSWD, and hopefully from other sources as well. We must come together to help the fire victims in their hour of dire need," she said.
Around 600 families or 3,000 people have fled to the Delpan evacuation center while firefighters still battle with a huge blaze that has been raging through the shanty homes in Isla Puting Bato for more than six hours.
Authorities said the fire has reached Task Force Charlie at 11:55 p.m.
Helicopters of the Philippine Air Force with helibuckets have joined firefighters in containing the fire.
The Manila local government has deployed its disaster responders and social workers to aid the evacuees.
She said the evacuees can stay at the Delpan center until they can have homes to go back to.
"We will see if there is a place other than Isla Puting Bato where they can resettle because that place is really not safe for them," Lacuna-Pangan also said.