By A devastating fire swept through one of Manila’s largest coastal slums Sunday, destroying approximately 1,000 homes and displacing an estimated 8,000 residents just weeks before Christmas, as authorities scrambled to provide emergency assistance to thousands of suddenly homeless families.
The inferno, which raged for nearly eight hours in Isla Puting Bato, a densely packed area of Manila’s Tondo district, began around 8 a.m. and wasn’t contained until 4 p.m., according to the Manila Fire District. Dramatic drone footage from the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office captured orange flames consuming countless stilt houses in the impoverished coastal community.
Tondo, home to roughly 654,220 people, represents Manila’s largest slum area, where residents live in precarious conditions near a bustling commercial port. While authorities haven’t determined the fire’s cause, such disasters in Manila’s informal settlements frequently result from faulty electrical connections or gas cylinder accidents.
“I feel bad because we have no livelihood and no home. Everything is gone. We don’t know how we can eat. We are in a very bad situation, and it’s almost Christmas,” said Elvira Valdemoro, 58, a local shop owner who lost everything in the blaze.
Dramatic scenes unfolded as residents fled the advancing flames on makeshift rafts, while others desperately tried to salvage belongings from their burning homes. The Manila Fire District reported no immediate casualties, though the full extent of the destruction is still being assessed.
Manila Mayor Maria Sheilah “Honey” Lacuna-Pangan visited the devastated community Monday, meeting with survivors who spent the night in temporary shelters. “Please be patient. We will keep coming to deliver help. No one wanted this to happen,” she told displaced residents, urging them to register for assistance and relocate to emergency shelters where food and supplies are being distributed.
The disaster highlights the persistent vulnerabilities of Manila’s urban poor communities, where densely packed informal settlements often lack proper infrastructure and emergency access. The Tondo district, characterized by its maze-like streets and improvised housing structures, has long been recognized as one of the Philippine capital’s most challenging areas for disaster response.
Local officials are now racing against time to provide shelter and basic necessities to the displaced families as Christmas approaches. The mayor’s office has promised ongoing support, though the scale of the destruction presents significant challenges for both immediate relief efforts and long-term rehabilitation.
“We will help all of you. Don’t lose hope. Let’s help each other out ahead of Christmas time, we really hope to get you back to your homes,” Lacuna-Pangan assured residents, though the timeline for rebuilding remains uncertain.
The fire’s impact extends beyond immediate property loss, threatening to disrupt the economic survival of thousands who depend on the area’s proximity to Manila’s port for their livelihoods. Many residents operate small businesses or work as casual laborers in the nearby commercial district.
