MAYOR Isko Moreno and Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna made another first in the history of Manila.
Through them, fire victims in Sta. Mesa and Sampaloc were able to receive financial assistance in the amount of P10,000 each, to help them start rebuilding their homes.
Today, Moreno and Lacuna are scheduled to give the same kind of assistance in Binondo, where 50 families were rendered homeless due to a fire that hit the area the other day. This brings the total families to 814, for an equivalent of P8.4 million in cash assistance, the biggest ever in the city’s history for fire victims.
Moreno also directed that they be given mattresses and food packs containing staple food items, even as they were fed as soon as they were accommodated in the assigned temporary shelters after their homes were razed to the ground.
According to Manila social welfare chief Re Fugoso, the number of affected families who received the assistance —both in kind and in cash— from Moreno and Lacuna were 149 in Barangay 401 in Sampaloc and 615 in Barangay 628 in Sta. Mesa. Also present to assist in giving the assistance were Moreno’s executive assistant, Weng Santiago and the city councilors from districts 4 and 6.
“Kahit hirap na hirap ang Maynila, mapagpala ang Panginoon. Maraming nagbibigay kaya naman pinipilit naming maging masinop. Anumang singkong duling, kasingku-singkuhan ay tutunawin ko para sa kapakinabangan ninyo. Gaya ng kompromiso ko nung araw, tao muna bago kalsada. Kaya naitatag ang Asenso Manilenyo, it’s always aboutt the people. Tao ang pinupuhunanan namin,” Moreno told the fire victims.
In exchange for the help extended by the city, Moreno pleaded with the fire victims to still observe the basic health protocols against COVID-19, particularly for them to wear face masks and possibly, even face shields, as he stressed that the coronavirus is still very much around.
“Maniningil ako nang konte… baka pwede makisuyo, disiplinahin ninyo ang inyong mga sarili. ‘Wag magbabaka-sakali. Please wear mask.. kung may face shield pa, mas okay,” Moreno said.
“Iwasan ninyo ang mga kapitbahay ninyong ‘mema’ o me masabi lang. Mas gusto ko kayong buhay dahil gusto ko, makasama kayo sa pangarap namin ni Vice Mayor Honey, di man sa inyo, sa anak o apo ninyo, para sa maaliwalas at panatag na pamumuhay sa lungsod,” the mayor added.
