Senator Christopher “Bong” Go has extended assistance to families affected by a deadly residential fire in Barangay 15-B, Davao City, as displaced residents begin recovering after losing their homes and belongings.
The fire broke out shortly after noon on September 14 along Cervantes Street and reached the third alarm before it was declared extinguished at around 1:33 p.m., according to the Davao City Fire District. One person died and two others were injured.
The City Social Welfare and Development Office reported that 39 families, or 146 individuals, were affected by the blaze. The victims were temporarily brought to an evacuation site while authorities assessed their needs and provided assistance.
The fatality was identified as 21-year-old Francis Dayot, a person with disability. The two injured victims included a 23-year-old woman who suffered breathing difficulties, injuries and second-degree burns, and a 21-year-old woman who experienced back pain, smoke inhalation and minor abrasions after falling.
Go’s assistance was delivered through his Malasakit Team on September 19. Although he was unable to personally attend, the senator spoke with affected residents through a video call, checked on their condition and expressed his condolences to families who lost loved ones and property.
The relief activity assisted 50 beneficiaries and included financial assistance, grocery packs, snacks, water containers, vitamins and clothing items. Watches and shoes were also distributed to selected beneficiaries, while basketballs and volleyballs were provided as part of the relief effort.
Go also pointed to longer-term disaster preparedness measures, including Republic Act No. 11589, or the Bureau of Fire Protection Modernization Act of 2021, which provides for a 10-year modernization program for firefighting and emergency-response capabilities.
He also cited Republic Act No. 12076, or the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act, signed into law in December 2024, which mandates safe and adequately equipped evacuation centers in every city and municipality for communities affected by disasters.
The Davao City fire has underscored the immediate needs of displaced families while highlighting the importance of fire prevention, emergency response and accessible evacuation facilities in densely populated communities.
As affected residents work to rebuild, assistance from government agencies and other groups is expected to remain important in helping families secure basic necessities and recover from the loss caused by the fire.
