DOT Region 3 Director Tiotuico turns over token of thousands of relief bags to Minalin Vice Mayor Daag in the presence of donors (L-R) Mico Jose, Raddy Ocampo, Jon Magat (PRO-FRIENDS), Janice David (DNS Transport) and councilors Louie Lacsina, Enrico Suba, Genie Magat and Rondon Mercado.
PHOTO COURTESY OF RIC GONZALES
MINALIN, Pampanga – A relief operation for flood victims in this fl ood-stricken fourth class municipality turned into instant rescue after a fi re which suddenly broke out was doused by a quick thinking staff of the Department of Tourism (DOT) Region 3.
The DOT volunteers including representatives of real estate developer Pro- Friends were wrapping up the relief operation in Barangay Sta. Maria here for some 350 flood victims when a fire suddenly broke out in the adjacent day-care center.
The fire emanating from the rubber matting of the room where the children were playing quickly spread. As the children rushed outside, a window was opened which further fanned the flames. Barangay tanods came in with pails of water but could not douse the fire.
A garden hose was used but to no avail. It was when the fire was about to engulf the pantry where an LPG cylinder was standing that people began to panicked.
Shouts of “get out!” and “atin tangking gas (there’s a gas cylinder),” made everybody jittery. At that point, DOT staff Leo Galsim went back to the DNS bus and got the fire extinguisher. It took only a couple of minutes for Galsim using the fi re extinguisher to finally douse the fire.
The fire extinguisher from DNS bus, which ferried the DOT volunteers for the relief operation, was what saved the day, said DOT Regional Director Ronnie Tiotuico. But it was the presence of mind and quick thinking of Galsim that made the difference, he added praising the latter.
Meanwhile, the DOT-led relief operation was able to hand out some 1,650 bags of relief goods to mostly senior citizens in barangays Sta. Catalina, Sto. Domingo, Sta. Maria and Lourdes.
On hand to help distribute the relief goods were Vice Mayor Querelico Daag, and Municipal Councilors Enrico Suba and Louie Lacsina.
