MANDAUE CITY, Cebu, Philippines – A morning fire destroyed a boarding house made of "amakan," a bamboo product, in Sitio Tundan, Barangay Basak, this city, displacing 16 families who were renting rooms in the house.

Said house caught fire at around 9:34 a.m. and was put under control five minutes after firefighters arrived. SFO1 Arnold Lao of the Mandaue City Fire department said the cause has not yet been determined but it started in the room where a certain "Noynoy" was staying.

Most of the renters worked for a bakeshop, which is located 50 meters away. No one was home when the fire broke out, the children being in school and the parents at work.

A firewall of one of the houses near the boarding house prevented the fire from spreading. Barangay Basak captain Vicente Dayanan said tents will be put up in the fire scene to serve as temporary shelter for the victims. Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes also assured the affected families that they will receive assistance from the city. (Mars W. Mosqueda, Jr.)

ANTI-JAYWALKING EFFECTIVE IN ILOILO

ILOILO CITY, Iloilo, Philippines (PNA) – Traffic condition in the city has significantly improved with the strict implementation of the anti-jaywalking ordinance.

In a report to Mayor Jed Patrick E. Mabilog, community service officer Zellah Gil of the Special Services Unit (SSU) said pedestrians are now using the skywalks and pedestrian lanes since the implementation of Ordinance No. 309.

Upon assuming office this year, Mabilog has made it his priority to revitalize existing ordinances on anti-jaywalking and on anti-littering.

Since then, a more disciplined populace has been observed following the firm implementation of said ordinances. The anti-jaywalking rule has even extended last month to Luna St. in Lapaz; along Bonifacio Drive in City Proper; and Benigno Aquino Avenue in Mandurriao in front of SM City-Iloilo where the mad rush of traffic is always experienced.

“The implementation thereon met no objection from pedestrians since most of them are already aware of the existence of the ordinance,” the SSU’s report stated. Ordinance No. 309 was first fully enforced in August along Valeria-Delgado St. and in Gen. Luna-Valeria Sts. in City Proper.

For November alone, SSU has apprehended a total of 605 violators.

LIMITED XMAS LIGHTS USE URGED

CEBU CITY, Cebu, Philippines (PNA) – The Cebu City Government wants city residents to limit to four hours each day the use of their Christmas lights to avoid contributing to a power shortage.
 
The Cebu City Council recently approved the resolution filed by Councilor Noel Wenceslao asking the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) to encourage business establishments, offices and households to switch on their Christmas lights only from 6 to 10 p.m.

”With the aim to make one’s residents and establishments more attractive, flooding of Christmas lights can be seen, which may add to the problem of random power shortage,” Wenceslao said.

Wenceslao, who chairs the Council’s Committee on Urban Planning and Development, also asked the public to use energy-efficient or energy-saving Christmas lights.

Light-emitting diode or LED Christmas lights are said to be more efficient since they do not require color filters used in traditional lights. These also emit less heat, posing reduced risk of fire when used on trees or combined with other decorations.