The Department of Social Welfare and Development-National Capital Region is currently coordinating with the Quezon City local government to determine the needs of the estimated 1,000 families following a huge fire that hit houses along NIA Road in Barangay Pinyahan, Quezon City Tuesday evening, December 27.

Benjie Barbosa, OIC of DSWD-NCR Disaster Response Section said that Field Office will initially provide 2,000 family food packs (FFPs). The families have been taken to an evacuation center while the Quezon City LGU is currently determining the exact number of affected individuals.

Secretary Judy M. Taguiwalo reiterated that because of the devolution, LGUs are the first responders during disasters, be these natural or man-made. However, she emphasized that “Nandyan naman palagi ang DSWD Central Office at Field Offices upang umalalay sa mga lokal na pamahalaang humihingi ng tulong para sa kanilang mga mamamayang apektado ng kalamidad o sakuna   (DSWD Central and field Offices are always there to augment the resources of LGUs requesting for assistance for their constituents affected by disasters or accidents.).

Sec. Taguiwalo said that the urgency of the situation now being faced by the displaced urban poor community residents displaced by the fire should not be overlooked. “We cannot stop at giving the fire survivors with relief boxes or temporary shelter in evacuation centers. We hope that QC officials will work with the DSWD and other national government agencies to help the survivors get access to other services and assist them to either find new homes in QC where many of them hold down jobs and are considered bona fide voters; or to return to the provinces if they wish to start life afresh there,” she said.

“The DSWD opens its doors to our kababayans devastated by the fire and offer our Assistance for Individuals in Crisis (AICS) services. We also issue a public appeal to everyone in QC to help the survivors and give what they can in the spirit of   humanitarian compassion – they are in need of clothes, water, food, and vitamins for the children. It’s painful to think that many of them will be spending the coming new year celebration either in the streets or the evacuation center,” she said.

In the meantime, it  has been reported that the stretch of land in NIA which is comprised of 250.6 hectares of prime property is intended by the QC LGU to be transformed into a new business hub. Based on reports, the new business district will consist of portions of North Triangle, East Triangle and Veterans Memorial Medical Center. It is bounded by EDSA, North and East Avenues, and Elliptical Road.#