Marcos gives P21M financial aid to Tondo fire victims

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Saturday distributed financial aid worth P21 million to residents affected by a big fire in Tondo last weekend.

Of the amount, Marcos handed out P10,000 each to 2,100 fire victims, together with food packs, 2,100 blankets, and 2,100 sleeping mats from the Office of the President (OP).

"Hindi po tayo titigil at gagawin [natin] lahat para tulungan kayo dahil alam naman po namin na kahit kayo'y nakangiti at malakas ang sigaw, marami po kayong iniisip kung paano alagaan ang inyong sarili, ang inyong mga pamilya, kung saan kayo uuwi. Alam po namin 'yun," Marcos said.

(We will not stop and will do everything to help you because we are aware that despite your smiles and loud shouts, you are thinking a lot on how to take care of yourselves, your families, and where you will go home. We are aware of that.)

In a statement by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), it said that the assistance is under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

In his speech, Marcos said the national and the local government will collaborate firmly to provide all of the fire victims’ needs.

Marcos visited the Delpan Evacuation Center in Brgy. 29, Tondo, Manila, where some of the victims are temporarily sheltered to find out about their condition.

"Pag kayo ay hindi pa namin naiuwi pagdating ng Pasko, ako'y pupunta dito magpa-party, mag me-Merry Christmas tayo. Sama-sama. 'Yan 'yung pag-udyok ko kay Mayor Lacuna," the President said.

(If we haven't brought you home by Christmas, I'll come here to hold a party, we will have a Merry Christmas. Together. That's what I told Mayor Lacuna.)

The local government unit (LGU) of Manila had already previously provided P10,000 for each affected family last November 28.

According to the data by the PCO, at least 2,114 families, or 6,957 individuals, were left without homes after a huge fire broke out at around 8:02 am in Purok 1, 2, and 3 of Isla Puting Bato in Barangay 20, Zone 2 on November 24.

The BFP raised Task Force Charlie just about noon, where 30 fire trucks responded to the fire before it was declared fire out at around 4:07 pm.

The estimated cost of damage was at P3.5 million.

No casualties were reported, but two individuals were injured.

—Jamil Santos/ VAL, GMA Integrated News