The fire happened at the Binondo side of Parola, Barangay 275, Manila at around 6:00 o’clock in the evening of March 2, 2015. It lasted for 9 hours to extinguish the fire. The area from Gate 46 up to Gate 62 is totally consumed by the fire. At around 1:00 o’clock in the afternoon of March 3, another fire started at Gate 1 just across the ALSA BUHAY Center. Immediate help came from Fire Departments of the nearby Barangays that it did not spread that wide.
Victims:
The number of families affected is approximately 5,000 according to the information given by the Barangay Chairman. Most of the beneficiaries of the ALSA BUHAY Program and ESKWELAHAN ng BUHAY of Puso sa Puso Edukasyon Inc. are coming from the area where the fire happened. On the list of the ones affected, there are 90 Learners ( Elementary and Secondary Levels) and 60 kids handled by the German volunteers.
The Learners find refuge in the center to be listened to of their stories of struggles during the disaster and their concerns for the future.
On the 2nd day after the disaster happened, the ALSA BUHAY Staff continue their monitoring in the area including the evacuation centers in search for the Learners/beneficiaries.
Meanwhile, the men of every family stayed back in their respective properties to secure the remaining materials that still can be used in rebuilding their houses. The women especially with children stayed back in the evacuation centers.
Assistance:
The immediate assistance of the Barangay Council is to bring the victims to the evacuation center located nearby. The rest of who could not anymore be accommodated were brought to Baseco evacuation center adjacent to Barangay 275. Simple foods for meals like porridge, rice with a piece of meat or fish were provided for a family which actually is not sufficient. The City Mayor is extending some assistance through the Barangay who is collaborating with the Department of Social Welfare and Development for the provision of five (5) sheets of galvanized iron for roofing of the temporary shelter that each family has to put up.
The ALSA BUHAY Staff initially arranged a plan on the “How to’s of the distribution of goods to the beneficiaries when it comes. Tasking among them is already done.
Few friends of the Puso sa Puso Edukasyon Inc. started to get in contact ready to help to respond to the immediate needs of the victim learners.
Immediate Needs:
Shelter is the basic need of the victims. But response to immediate needs is a great help. From the assessment, the following are most needed: mats, blankets, clothing, medicine for children, food and drinking water. Other expressed needs are housing materials like lumber, nails and plywood.
