Two days after a devastating fire destroyed their home in Barangay San Miguel, Kate Tesico is appealing to the public for help in paying for the burial and hospital expenses of her mother who lost her life by trying to save her two younger siblings who are now in critical condition.
Kate, who is the eldest sister of 12-year old Kirzteen Joan Angeli and 9-year old Keilah Joanna Angelene, said their worry now is the continuous treatment of her siblings in the Burns Unit of the Palawan Adventist Hospital (PAH) and their unpaid bills that now total to P145,000.
“Sa ngayon po talagang wala kaming mapagkukuhanan dahil wala na kaming magulang. Wala din po kaming maayos na trabaho para magastusan ‘yong dalawa naming kapatid na nasunog. ‘Yong nanay namin nandoon nakaburol. Hindi rin po namin kayang gastusan, malaking halaga po kasi ang kakailanganin. ‘Yong infection at sunog po kasi nila sa katawan hindi po biro, talagang malala, hindi na po sila makilala,” said Tesico.
Twenty-two-year-old Kate said their mother Myrna was a widow who had left them nothing.
She said her siblings, who are now critical at the PAH, have already racked up P28,000 while their mother’s unpaid hospital bill and wake expenses are P115,200.
Kate, who still cannot believe what had happened to her family, said they are thankful to friends and relatives who donated coffee, juices, and biscuits for her mother’s wake.
“Iyong 12 years old ay 45 percent burn ang natamo, ‘yong 9 years old ay 75 percent. Ang nanay ko [naman] 90 percent siya. Kaya mahirap po sa amin ‘yong ganitong sitwasyon na tatlo sila. Namatayan kami ng nanay tapos ‘yong dalawa naming kapatid fifty-fifty din po. Humihingi po kami ng tulong talaga financially,” she added.
Kate said anyone who would like to extend their support may contact her at 0917-5208-818.
Kind hearted individuals may also drop their donations at Room 207 of the PAH and may also look for Clarencia Baquiao at Juner Funeral Parlor along Baltan Street where her mother’s remains lie in state.
How the fire started
Kate said the fire broke out of the house her mother is renting after a rechargeable flashlight exploded.
“Ang nasabi sa akin patay-sindi ang kuryente sa San Miguel noong time na ‘yon. Tinanong ko po kaagad kung ano ang gamit nila kasi hindi sila gumagamit ng kandila. Ang gamit nila ay rechargeable flashlight sinabi sa akin ng kapatid ko. Siguro naisip nila na talagang delikado ang kandila kaya hindi sila nagka-kandila,” Tesico said.
Her mother, Myrna, and her two sisters, she narrated, got trapped inside their burning house because they were unable to open the metal gate.
She said their neighbors helped her mother and sisters to get out by breaking a window.
“Ang sabi daw po ang tagal ng fire truck bago dumating tapos hindi sapat ‘yong tubig kakaunti lang ang tubig. Nakausap ko po ‘yong tumawag sa City Bureau of Fire [Protection] (BFP), ang tagal daw po talaga, so inisip nila na baka nag-ipon pa ng tubig. Buti nga po may poso doon,” she also said.
READ RELATED NEWS: Fire injures 3, renders 26 families homeless in San Miguel
In social media, the Palawan Electric Cooperative (PALECO) is being blamed by netizens who claimed the fire was due to power surges and spikes or fluctuating power supply.
“May kasalanan dyan ang p***ng paleco. Kung walang block out hndi mag kakasunog yan. Taran**** yang paleco palitan na yan sila [sic],” commented netizen Chris Jerus Hinayon.
Another netizen, Angel Meimban, commented the fire erupted after power was restored.
“Hindi ko alam kung bakit? Lahat nasunog ang bahay. First time nag kasunog dito sa amin . Exact pag balik ng kuryente biglang nag putukan at lumiyab banda sa unahan namin. Siguro kung naagapan agad? , hanggat maaga pa lang hindi masusunog lahat! O baka naman may problem sa kuryente. Jusko Nasunog ang bahay namin at mga gamit . Pati mga alagang hayop marami namatay at na lechon ng buhay [sic],” he said.
Previously, City BFP Fire Officer 3 Rod Mark Anticano said their team responded to the fire incident a minute after it was called to them at 2:05 a.m. or almost 25 minutes after it broke out at 1:41 a.m. in the San Miguel residential area along Fundador Road.
“Medyo matagal po bago naitawag. Ang fire out dineclare natin ito nang 6:45 a.m, mausok doon, talagang tinanggal natin ang usok dahil katabi siya ng airport, maaapektuhan ‘yong flight. Hindi makaka-alis at makakalapag ang eroplano [kung mausok]. Kaya hindi namin siya puwedeng iwanang may usok, kumbaga totally out talaga,” he said.
Anticano said the fire partially destroyed three homes and totally engulfed 16 others, leaving around 26 families homeless.
The initial cost of the fire damage was around P500,000.
Anticano said they are still conducting a further investigation regarding its cause.
