By NITZ ARANCON and LITO RULONA Correspondents THE city council yesterday declared Pinikitan, Camaman-an as an area under a state of calamity following the Valentine’s Day fire that destroyed nearly 300 houses in the village. But councilors Roger Abaday and Teodulfo Lao Jr. raised apprehensions, pointing out that the city council’s declaration was made without a recommendation from Mayor Oscar Moreno. They said there was also a need for Moreno to submit a list of the fire victims. The objections however did not stop the city council from approving Ordinance 2016-65. The declaration allows city hall to use its calamity fund to aid the fire victims. In an earlier interview, Councilor Leon said the city council would only approve the declaration if requested by Moreno. Fire victims talk as they watch over their belongings. (PHOTO BY NITZ ARANCON)

Fire victims talk as they watch over their belongings.(PHOTO BY NITZ ARANCON)

Gan noted that the city council has not declared any area in the city under a state of calamity since 2013 because there was no request from the mayor, and because of the National Disaster  Risk-Reduction  Law that provides that it can only be done if 20 percent of a barangay’s population is adversely affected. Social workers initially placed the damages in the Pinikitan fire that raized to the ground 292 houses mostly made of light materials at P15.146 million. The Bureau of Fire Protection however placed structural damages at P5 million. Social worker Chona Silvosa, in a report to CSWD chief Teddy Sabuga-a, said the fire adversely affected 471 families or some 2,082 individuals, most of who  have sought shelter at the Camaman-an covered court and a public school. FO2 Joel Ejoc said six people were hurt in the Sunday fire that broke out at around 10:10 am, and spread from the house of one Jovy Opaon. Ejoc said the fire quickly spread because most of the houses were made of highly combustible materials. It took firefighters until 1 pm to declare a “fire-out.”