A resident looks from the window of his burnt house near Muntinlupa City, the Philippines, Dec. 24, 2010, after a fire hit the residential area overnight. The fire razed around 500 houses, leaving 2,000 families homeless a day before Christmas. [Xinhua]

Residents take a break after scavenging for reusable materials from their burnt houses near Muntinlupa City, south of Manila, Philippines, Dec. 24, 2010 after a fire hit the residential area overnight. [Xinhua]