The Manila local government unit drew flak from victims and volunteers over the lack of response to a fire that razed hundreds of families in a residential area along Recto Avenue.  

The Manila local government unit drew flak from victims and volunteers over the lack of response to a fire that razed hundreds of families in a residential area along Recto Avenue.  

Dexter Santos, one of the fire victims, said the local government and the Department of Social Welfare and Development provided one week's worth of food and provided temporary shelter to the displaced families — both of which were not enough to sustain them. 

“Nangangalakal na nga lang kami dito ng pangkain, mga bakal-bakal, kasi wala nang pagkain,” Dexter said in an interview with the Manila Forefront.  

He is currently helping rebuild other families' houses, hoping to get paid for his effort. 

“Ang plano po talaga ng karamihan ay ayusin ang kanilang mga bahay, kaso walang pang-ayos eh,” Dexter said. “Ako nga eh, ‘yung ibang bahay ginagawa ko kahit nasunog rin ‘yung bahay ko, para masahuran ako.” 

Around 300 families living in Barangay 836, a residential area in front of the Isetann Cinerama Complex along Recto Ave., were displaced in a fire that gutted 150 houses last Jan. 31. 

The fire, which reached the fifth alarm at 3:46 p.m., injured two residents and was extinguished at 5:24 p.m. 

According to residents, this was the second time a blaze hit the barangay, both being a wiring problem.  

Samuel Fenix, chief of the Filipino-Chinese Volunteer Fire Brigade Inc., said that electrical problems such as substandard or cheaply-made wirings of phone chargers and extensions are often the main cause of most recent fires around Manila.  

“Karamihan more on electrical talaga sa area,” Fenix said. “[A]ctually mga jumper, mga substandard chargers, [or even] extensions, ‘yan ‘yung cause of fire talaga na inaano natin.” 

“[M]arami tayong nabibili na cellphone, charger at extensions na mura, nag-o-overheat. Kaso tayo, wala nman tayong pakialam, saksak lang nang saksak. Hindi natin alam ‘yung load, ‘yung capacity nila,” he added. 

Moral volunteer 

For his part, Fenix said responders’ lack of financial support, gear, and defective equipment, which are all vital as the hot and dry season approaches, increases the risk for more fires. 

“[Though] may mga hydrant tayo sa Manila, hindi gaanong malakas ‘yung pressure. [M]adalang [rin] na meron tayo, ‘di gaya sa ibang bansa,” Fenix said.  

The fire chief added that due to the lack of proper equipment, fire brigades such as the Filipino-Chinese Volunteer Fire Brigade Inc., have relied mostly on aid given to them by other volunteers.  

“Puro tulong at volunteer lang talaga,” he said. “Kaya ‘yung ibang kaibigan ko, financially, sila ‘yung sumasagot sa diesel at pang-maintenance. Alam mo naman dito, puro moral volunteer, puro out lang ang pera.” 

According to Fenix, additional equipment that the fire volunteers need but lack of, is more breathing apparatuses and fire hoses.  

“Buti nga ‘di pa masyadong mainit, ‘di pa summer. Kasi sa March rarami na ‘yan in time for Fire Prevention Month,” he added. 

In line with Presidential Proclamation No. 115-A, the country annually observes Fire Prevention Month in March to raise public awareness on fire incidents that usually increase during this hot period. – Angeli Ruth R. Acosta and Chalssea Kate C. Echegoyen