Clearing operations set for old Lorega cemetery

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City government is giving those who have relatives buried at the old Lorega Cemetery until March 30 to retrieve the bones of their departed loved ones.

This is to facilitate the clearing operations, which will start today, to implement the city's reblocking program at the area that was hit by fire last week.

City Administrator Lucelle Mercado said that the burial sites will be cleared to pave the way for the reblocking and the subsequent resettlement of the fire victims.

"There may be some names on the graves which we cannot identify but the relatives may still remember where they were," she said.

Mercado added that the relatives could approach any personnel from the Cebu City government for assistance.

Atty. Collin Rosell, head of the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor, said that a total of 700 grave sites, almost 200 houses and an estimated 300 families living near the cemetery were affected by the fire.

Rosell said the city government planned to clear the old cemetery, located in Sitio Kamansi, in 2009 yet since many urban settlers have already built their homes over the niches. Almost P5 million, the city official said, was allocated for the clearing operations of the old cemetery. He added that most of the graves there are considered to be "forgotten."

He said that the retrieval of remains is urgent since once the clearing operations start, personnel from the city's Department of Engineering and Public Works will have no other choice but to gather the bones themselves.

"If ever naa'y grave nga nag-ali sa road nga dapat namo i-clear, we will give due respect to the remains and keep the bones. However, it is highly encouraged for their relatives to claim the remains as early as possible," he said.

After March 30, all unclaimed remains will be placed in a temporary bone chamber in Lorega or in other public cemeteries such as in Carreta.

Rosell denied allegations that the fire was intentional so that clearing operations could be done. He said that the reblocking plans were already in place a long time ago and was scheduled to start this year. He, however, added that it was unfortunate that fire hit the area.

Meanwhile, Rama's communications consultant Cerwin Eviota said that the city will be giving a P10, 000 financial assistance, as well as construction materials to fire victims.  (FREEMAN)