Igbarasnons commemorate Songsongon tragedy
Igbarasnons commemorate today the first anniversary of the Sonsongon tragedy that left 22 fatalities and 19 missing and presumed dead.
A Mass will be held at the covered gym of the town's poblacion around 9 a.m. and is expected to be attended by Igbarasnons, especially the victims' families, relatives and friends.
Officials led by Presidential Assistant for Panay Raul Banias and Iloilo Gov. Niel Tupas Sr. are also expected to attend the commemoration.
The Mass was originally set at the site of the incident, around 5 km away from the poblacion, but was moved because of the stormy weather, according to the Igbaras mayor's office.
The victims' families and survivors under the Ten-Two-Zero Six Surviving Families Association Inc., earlier lamented the non-release of financial assistance of P10,000 as promised by the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC).
The tragedy struck on Oct. 2, 2006 after an overloaded jeepney was swept away by strong currents as it crossed the 60-foot overflow bridge. The jeepney fell into the Tangyan River in the Sitio Songsongon overflow bridge in Barangay Barasan, Igbaras, 39 km southwest of Iloilo City.
The victims had attended the funeral of retired teacher Remo Eguico at the municipal cemetery and were on their way home when the engine of the passenger jeepney conked out more than halfway on the Songsongon overflow.
The jeepney overturned several times and fell to a drop of more than six feet after rampaging waters swept it away.
Almost all of the victims came from villages in the Kipot area, so named because of the two mountains that enclose the 11 barangays.
Barangay Lab-on which has a population of 360 accounted for 20 of the dead and missing.
The victims' families and survivors had called on President Macapagal-Arroyo and other government officials to construct a regular bridge to prevent more accidents. But no construction has been done until now.
The overflow concrete bridge constructed in 1989 has no side railings and has culverts underneath. Water would usually overflow during heavy and continuous rain or when the culverts are clogged by debris.
The overflow connects 12 hinterland barangays of Igbaras to the town proper.