THE sitio where I live had just celebrated the second night of the annual fiesta with a 'Hot Mama' pageant. A few hours later we woke up to voices yelling, 'Sunog!' (Fire!) The sight of the orange flames dancing in the dark night and the frantic activity outside was surreal. Fortunately, a few minutes later fire trucks arrived and the fire was put under control.

Two months ago, 3,000 individuals were displaced when a fire destroyed 600 homes in Punta Princesa, also in Cebu City. The Cebu City Fire Office has reported that properties worth about P500 million have been lost to fires, this year alone. This represents a big loss not only for the affected individuals, families and business establishments, but for the city as well.