Some burned boarding houses lacked permits, City Hall says

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan and Jennifer P. Rendon

Several boarding houses in the San Nicolas village district of La Paz, affected by a fire last Sunday, February 18, were discovered to be operating without the necessary permits, according to the Iloilo City government offices on Monday, February 19.

The Business Process and Licensing Division (BPLD) records indicated that of the seven affected boarding houses, two had failed to renew their permits, while three operated without any permits at all.

The two boarding houses that had not renewed their licenses last did so in 2004 and the previous year, respectively.

One of the boarding houses without permits was the residence of the two individuals who died in the fire. Barangay officials identified the owner of this house as Rocky Gordon.

BPLD Chief Norman Tabud and Boarding House Commission (BHC) Administrative Head Jesusa Mendiola confirmed this information.

For context, the BPLD and BHC inspect boarding houses for compliance with some requirements, including fire safety, before issuing the permits.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas, in his press conference on the same day, mentioned that he had directed the BHC to inspect the boarding houses in the area.

This directive was in response to unverified reports, which the mayor reiterated, suggesting there were faulty electrical wirings and obstructed fire exits at the boarding house owned by Gordon.

Mayor Treñas declared that boarding houses found to be substandard would have their permits revoked. He also stated his intention to instruct the BPLD not to reissue permits to these establishments.

He noted that the majority of the residents in the boarding houses were either students or Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) employees, highlighting their close proximity to educational institutions.

“San Nicolas is predominantly composed of boarding houses. Despite its small voting population, the area is densely populated,” Treñas remarked.

“We have been issuing closure orders for several boarding houses due to violations. We are not neglecting our duties. It’s regrettable, but we must intensify our efforts,” he added.

Additionally, the mayor announced that the city government would provide ₱100,000 for the burial expenses of the two victims through the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO).

“Even though they were temporary residents of Iloilo City and not voters, we will still extend assistance because the tragedy occurred here, and we have a duty to offer support,” he asserted.

He also suggested that barangays should install pipes to enable fire responders’ water tankers to connect easily while parked on main roads, facilitating quicker access to areas affected by fire with narrow paths.

This recommendation aligns with the Bureau of Fire Protection’s (BFP) persistent appeals for barangays to establish their own fire brigades and install hydrants.

According to the BFP’s Iloilo City station, the estimated damages from the fire totaled ₱2.1 million. The CSWDO reported that as of 10:00 p.m. on Sunday, the fire had impacted a total of 173 individuals.

To recall, an afternoon blaze in the densely populated Barangay San Nicolas, La Paz, Iloilo City, has tragically claimed the lives of two boarders.

The remains of Lyn Rose Sobretodo, 26, from Barangay Casalsagan, Pototan, Iloilo, and Renz David Aguilar, 21, from Concepcion, Iloilo, were discovered in their rented rooms over an hour after firefighters had completely extinguished the fire.

Sobretodo, a call center agent, was found near the window of her room, while Aguilar was located lying on his bed.

Fire Superintendent Melanie Habawel, the Iloilo City fire marshal, speculated that both victims were asleep when the fire ignited at around 4:15 p.m. on February 18.

Videos circulating online appear to show a woman crying out for help, leading to speculation that Sobretodo attempted to escape the inferno but was thwarted by the steel grills on her window.

Aguilar, a third-year Civil Engineering student at the University of San Agustin, shared the rented room with his younger sister, who had left for a school activity and could not return before the fire ravaged the area.

Initially, there was no indication of any fatalities until firefighters thoroughly searched the premises.

Mayor Jerry Treñas announced that the Iloilo City government is considering providing P100,000 in cash assistance to the families of the two fire victims.

The authorities were alerted to the fire at 4:15 p.m. on Sunday.

The third alarm was raised just four minutes later, escalating to the fourth alarm by 4:26 p.m. Escalated alarms indicate that the local firefighters need the help of other fire stations to quell the blaze.

The fire was declared under control at 4:43 p.m., and fully extinguished at 5:24 p.m.