Local News: Quake Retrieval Operations in NegOr End Today
The search and retrieval operations for quake victims in Negros Oriental will be terminated today, Benito Ramos, executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said yesterday.
Ramos explained that the retrieval operations in Barangay Solonggon in La Libertad town and Barangay Planas in Guihulngan City would be terminated today, because the joint Army and police rescue teams have failed to recover more bodies from the quake-devastated villages.
He said the two devastated communities would be developed into memorial sites.
Yesterday, an Ecumenical Mass for those who have died and are still missing due to the quake that struck Negros Island last week, was held yesterday morning in Guihulngan City, Captain Anacito Naz, Civil-Military Operations officer of the 302nd Brigade of the Philippine Army said.
The Holy Mass was initiated to generate public acceptance of the termination of search and retrieval operations, he said.
The Mass was tendered by the Guihulngan City government at Crossing Mambug in Brgy. Planas, and was attended by officials and employees of Guihulngan City Hall, officers and personnel of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council with officials and personnel of the 302nd Brigade, 11th Infantry Battalion, personnel of 542 Engineering Construction Battalion and the Philippine National Police, media and other organizations, he said.
Naz added that the Guihulngan City government distributed cash and relief goods to the directly-affected families.
A total of 588 families in Brgy. Solonggon in La Libertad benefitted in the medical-dental mission sponsored by the 302nd Brigade, 11th IB, 79thIB, 32 DRC, and 703 CDC Troops and the Negros Oriental provincial government, he said.
Five trucks of 302nd Brigade facilitated the hauling and distribution of 20 metric tons (10 trucks) of high energy biscuits donated by the U.N. World Food Program in coordination with PDRRMC, PSWDO and DSWD-7 in La Liberatd, Ayungon and Tayasan yesterday, Naz said.
The remaining bags will be distributed by the military today in Guihulngan and Jimalalud, he said.
Naz said most schools in Guihulngan and La Libertad still suspend classes because pupils and students refuse to go to schools for fear of another quake or landslide.
Even some residents refuse to go home for the same fear and are only staying in safer areas, he added.
Naz said as of Wednesday, 48 have been confirmed dead in Negros Oriental: Guihulngan-23, La Libertad-9, Jimalalud-8, Tayasan-3, Ayungon-2, Manjuyod-2, Bindoy-1.
There were 54 injured and 61 people missing, Naz added.*
