Barangay chair Honesto Cabanillas points to blackened Mount San Miguel. Photo by Ernie Esconde
MARIVELES, Bataan — A grass fire of still unknown origin on Sunday night hit a picturesque rocky mountain frequented by both local and foreign tourists in a seaside village here.
Barangay Sisiman chair Honesto Cabanillas on Monday said the fire started at about 7 p.m. and raged on for more than an hour because of the strong wind and the dry grasses.
He said five firetrucks from Mariveles and the Freeport Area of Bataan responded but the firemen were able to quickly extinguish the fire only on the lower portion of Mount San Miguel.
“Ang itaas ay hindi maabot at delikado na,” Cabanillas said, describing the fire as “very strong.”
The barangay chair estimated the peak of the mountain at 200 meters where below is the residential area of Sisiman and at the other side, the bay. No one was hurt nor any house damaged by the fire, he said.
“Napakahalaga ng Mount San Miguel dahil ito ang tourist spot ng Barangay Sisiman at isa sa tourist spots ng munisipalidad ng Mariveles kaya nalulungkot ako dahil hindi ko alam kung saan nag-umpisa o kung sino ang nagpasimula ng pagsunog,” he rued.
He said he does not want the fire to be repeated because the area is venue of movie location shoots, pre-nuptial shootings, and other beautiful activities. He said the late movie actor Fernando Poe, Jr. had shot some of his movies in the village.
“Panawagan ko sa mga kabarangay ko na magtulong-tulong tayo para proteksyunan ang ating magandang view na pinupuntahan ng mga local tourist at maging foreign. Maging mapagmatyag tayo sa mga kabarangay natin kung sino man ang gumawa niyan, kabarangay man o hindi makipag-ugnayan agad sa ating opisina at bibigyan natin agad ng aksyon yan,” Cabonillas said.
He thanked the Bureau of Fire Protection of Mariveles and FAB and the barangay tanod for their quick action.
