Mayor Ruffy Biazon thanked personnel from the city government and barangay for helping in the relief operations for the more than 1,000 families affected by a fire that hit a residential area in Barangay Alabang last March 17.
During the weekly flag-raising ceremony, Biazon said as of last count, more than 1,000 families or more than 5,000 people were affected by the fire that started at about 4:48 a.m. and spread to houses in Joaquin, Bautista and Mariategue Compounds in Alabang. The fire lasted nearly five hours and was put out at 9:42 a.m.
Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon, Rep. Bryan Revilla, Trina Reyes-Biazon and the relief operations for the Alabang fire victims (Photos from the Muntinlupa PIO, Muntinlupa City Fire Station and Muntinlupa City Department of Disaster Resilience and Management)
“Nakita naman po kung paano kumilos ang iba’t ibang mga ahensiya natin sa pamahalang lungsod at sa barangay [Alabang]. Nakatugon sa pangangailangan, inalagaan ang mga nahihirapang kababayan (We saw how the different agencies in the city government and barangay [Alabang] took action. They focused on the needs, took care of our struggling residents),” said Biazon.
After the fire, the city government set up evacuation sites at Alabang Elementary School, Pedro E. Diaz High School and Morning Breeze Covered Court.
Biazon said on March 24, the families left the evacuation sites after the city government provided them with cash and material assistance.
Elected officials and the private sector also extended help to the Alabang fire victims including the 1Munti Party, Senators Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., Bong Go and Jinggoy Estrada, Rep. Bryan Revilla, SM Foundation, ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, and Hyundai-Dongah Joint Venture (HDJV).
The city government’s Social Services Department continued providing the families sleeping kits containing folding bed, blanket, pillow, and mosquito net; hygiene and kitchen kits including portable cooking stove, pots , pans, at ladle.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office-National Capital Region gave family food packs to the victims and promised to continue coordinating with the city government on the needs of the affected families.
The Muntinlupa City government gave more than P7 million in financial assistance to the affected families.
Biazon went to the evacuation sites to oversee the process of claims done by the SSD.