Fire victims refuse to vacate Day Care Center

By Felipe V. Celino 

ROXAS CITY, Capiz – A family whose house was razed by a fire in January 2021 refused to vacate the Day Care Center of Brgy. 1 here.

Grace Hari-on, a fruit vendor and resident of Brgy. 1 here complained to the barangay that electricity and water supplies to the Day Care Center were cut off without informing them.

Grace said she wanted to talk to punong barangay Antonio Martin “Nognog” Pimentel to inform him that they tried to reconstruct their house, but it never happened because of the pandemic.

She believed that it’s not good to prolong their stay at the day care center.

They lately learned that the barangay council has agreed to give them until June 15 to vacate the place.

Pimentel denied the accusations of Hari-on saying that the council has repeatedly notified them to vacate the day care center.

But Hari-ons purportedly refused to accept the notification letters and ignored the resolution.

Pimentel clarified that the council decided to evict the family as their house is already finished.

“I believe that their five-month stay in the center is enough for them to vacate the place,” he said.

Pimentel said it was to their understanding that the Hari-ons can now occupy their house because it already has a roof.

Although the Hari-ons shared in the payment of water and electric bills, he said it is not a reason or guarantee for their continued stay in the government property.

The village chief confirmed that he was the one who cut the power and water supplies to force the family to leave.