Death traps for students

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Managing Editor ANTONIETA B. LOPEZ Business Editor ODETTE MONTELIBANO Desk Editor MARY ANN BARCELONA Advertising Coordinator RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete

ANDRES R. LEONARDIA Managing Director

The statement of a Manila firefighter condemning most dormitories in Metro Manila as "virtual death traps" is one that could probably also be applied to many other places in the country. How many times in the past years have reports come out after a fire hits boarding houses that such structures did not have provisions for escape, or equipment such as fire extinguishers, that residents could avail of at the first signs?

The one that struck in the crowded Sampaloc district of Manila on Sunday hit a dormitory that was later found out to have inadequate provisions for emergencies such as fire. For one, it was noted that the building did not have a fire escape, and those who survived had to leap out of windows, and hurt themselves in the process. Still they are thankful that they are, at least, alive, unlike eight other fellow boarders who perished in fiery circumstances.

The description of such boarding houses as death traps was given by the firefighter, believe it or not, five years ago, after fire had also gutted a similar structure. And, it will be safe to conclude, the same findings that came out last Sunday, had also been noted in the fires of 2001.

At the time, a lot of investigations, threats and censures were made by both officials and concerned citizens, and warnings issued against the management of such houses. And every year, announcements are made about investigations of dormitories, of which majority, or more are found to be violating the law on the operation of such business. Perhaps a few actually get ordered closed, or are charged, but we have yet to hear of any convictions of owners of structures that have been burned, and with them, several lives.

And so, the violations continue, and the hazards to the lives of boarders, most of whom are young students willing to put up with the inferior facilities of such dormitories because they are more affordable, also increase.

Eight students died in Sunday's fire in Sampaloc. Listen to all the condemnation against boardinghouse owners now, but do check and find out if anything has changed in the monitoring of such buildings next schoolyear.*