Families of Igbaras tragedy victims still await NDCC's 'promised' financial aid
The surviving families of the victims of the Songsongon overflow tragedy in Igbaras, Iloilo last October 2, 2006 have called on the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) to release the financial assistance it pledged, through the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC), last year.
They also renewed their appeal for the government to construct a bridge in the area.
Jonathan Elumba, president of the Ten-Two-Zero Six Surviving Families Association, Inc., an association of the surviving families of the victims of the Igbaras tragedy, said then RDCC chair Chief Supt. Geary Barias pledged P10,000 for each victim but nothing has been heard about it up to now.
Elumba said they checked with RDCC last June 2007 the status of the said financial assistance only to be told that it could not be provided as the tragic accident was caused by a vehicular accident which is in contrary to the pertinent provisions of the NDCC rules and procedures in extending financial assistance.
Elumba said the pertinent provision cited was paragraph 2b of Memorandum Order 13 Series of 1998 which states: "Financial assistance to victims of man-made disasters such as fires, vehicular accidents, grenade/bombing incidents, armed conflicts and air and sea mishaps shall be discontinued, except in cases as may be directed or approved by the President or the Secretary of National Defense/Chairman, National Disaster Coordinating Council."
Elumba said RDCC officials should not have made such pledge if it was not possible. "It gave us false hopes," Elumba said.
The group has asked the help of Igbaras Mayor Jaime Esmeralda regarding their problem.
In a letter dated August 10, 2007, Igbaras Mayor Jaime Esmeralda appealed to newly-appointed Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro to consider the release of the financial assistance to families of the victims of the tragedy "which they were expecting".
"Although this may already come late as a consolation to the said families, the financial assistance would still be of great help to them especially to support the (cooperative they have organized)," Esmeralda's letter reads.
Meanwhile, the group also renewed their call for the construction of a bridge in Sitio Songsongon, Barangay Barasan, Igbaras, Iloilo.
In a resolution dated July 21, 2007, the Ten-Two-Zero Six Surviving Families Association, Inc. appealed to Pres. Gloria Arroyo to provide assistance for the construction of a bridge in Sitio Songsongon under her Presidential Bridge Program.
"Many lives had been gone, many opportunities had been lost and so much delay had occurred in bringing basic services to the constituents living in the highland barangays in the other side of the river by the sad experience of flashflood," the group said in their resolution.
"(Whereas), it is helpful and noteworthy when Songsongon overflow will be transformed into a Songsongon Bridge similar with that newly constructed Ligtus Bridge possibly made under the Presidential Bridge Program... to bring safely goods and services to the barangays in Kiput Area and/or to the poblacion and vice versa," the resolution further reads.
Elumba noted that after the tragedy last year several officials promised to push for the construction of the bridge in the area but more than ten months after the tragedy nothing has been heard about the proposal.
It can be recalled that the Songsongon overflow tragedy occurred on October 2, 2006 after a jeepney full of passengers coming from a burial was carried away by strong current of water while crossing the Songsongon overflow. The tragic accident claimed a total of 41 lives (22 dead, 19 missing).