In Taguig, P300K Borrowed for a Jeepney Purchase Was Lost to Flames
FIRE INCIDENT – A Taguig resident was devastated after the P300K he borrowed to purchase a jeepney was engulfed by flames.
Mark Joseph Pede faced a devastating loss when a fire engulfed his residence in Barangay Fort Bonifacio, Zone 3, Taguig City, on April 23, 2024. In a tragic turn of events, not only was his home destroyed in the blaze, but PHP300,000 in cash, which he had borrowed just a day earlier to purchase a passenger jeep, was also consumed by the fire. The money was intended to finance a jeep that Mark Joseph planned to use as his livelihood.
During the incident, Mark Joseph was at work, and his wife, who was at home, prioritized rescuing their youngest child trapped in the fire over retrieving the money. This misfortune has left Mark Joseph uncertain about how he will rebuild his home or repay the borrowed money.
“Di na po nakuha ng asawa ko [ang pera] kasi inuna niya itong bunso ko. Kasi na-trap itong bunso ko,” Mark Joseph said. “Pambili po sana ito ng sasakyan. Jeep po sana, panghanapbuhay ko po sana. Para po meron na akong hanapbuhay na sarili,” he added.
The fire affected a total of 11 houses, displacing 15 families, which includes 60 individuals. It escalated to a third alarm before being extinguished around one in the afternoon. An investigation by the Bureau of Fire Protection pinpointed an electric fan as the source of the fire. Additionally, a firefighter sustained injuries from a glass cut while fighting the fire.
Meanwhile, fire incidents pose a significant issue in the Philippines, particularly in heavily populated residential areas. As of January 2024, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) reported that the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao faces the most severe challenges, with 58 municipalities lacking both fire trucks and fire stations. This is the highest number in the country, followed by Region 8 (Eastern Visayas) with 14, Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) with 12, Region 10 (Northern Mindanao) with 11, and the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR) with 10.
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