Mayor Sebastian Duterte joined SOCIAL Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian in turning over relief goods to the more than 1,000 fire victims in two barangays on Feb. 27.
“Magandang hapon po sainyong alam ko naman ho sa ganitong pagkakataon wala akong sasabihin para mapawi ang sama ng loob dahil sa nangyari pero gusto ko malaman nyo na pinapunta ako ni President (Ferdinand Marcos Jr.) at ng DSWD at makipagtulungan kami sa inyong mayor para maiayos kayo ulit (I know there are no words to ease your pain but I was sent here by the President to help the mayor to help you resume your lives),” Gatchalian said in his message to the fire victims at the Brgy. 22 gymnasium.
Also assisting Gachalian and Duterte was Presidential Assistant for Eastern Mindanao Leo Magno. They handed over the relief goods at the temporary shelter area in Barangay 21-C covered court.
Gatchalian earlier paid a courtesy call to the office of Mayor Sebastian Duterte at City Hall.
The Davao City Fire Station estimated about P9 million in damage caused by a massive fire that gobbled around 1,000 houses in Purok 8A, Barangay 21-C and Brgy 22 Piapi, around one in the afternoon of Feb. 25 at around 1:15 p.m.
Senior Fire Inspector 4 Ramil Gillado, the Davao City Fire District Station spokesperson, said the fire started at the house of Ricky Gera Gantalao, 40, in Barangay 21-C before it quickly spread to the neighboring village. The station received a distress call around 1:06.
Immediately, firefighters from Central Fire, Bangoy, S.I.R. in Matina, Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), Buhangin, and Talomo firetrucks were dispatched when the level reached the fourth alarm.
The fire was declared under control right before 2 p.m. However, it took more than four hours before the firefighters put off the fire and started leaving the site around 5:21 p.m. due to the narrow alleys.
