UNANSWERED CALL
Igbaras folks still dream of bridge for Songsongon
IGBARAS, ILOILO—They cried as the miniature boats with red and yellow flowers and candles were carried away gently by the same waters that took away their loved ones a year ago.
The healing has gone slowly for Igbarasnons who yesterday commemorated the first anniversary of the Songsongon tragedy that killed 41 of their loved ones, relatives and friends.
Around 500 residents and officials of the town along with survivors of the families of the victims attended Mass at the multi-purpose gymnasium at the poblacion of Igbaras, 39 km southwest of Iloilo City.
They then held a caravan towards the site of the accident in Sitio Songsongon in Barangay Barasan around 5 km from the town center where around 200 more residents waited.
The miniature boats bearing the names of the dead and missing were placed on the waters of the Tangyan River to remember those who have died on Oct. 2, 2006 after an overloaded jeepney was swept by rampaging waters and fell into the river at the height of typhoon Neneng.
Twenty persons died and 19 are still missing and presumed dead. Twenty-four others had survived.
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 bridge.
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.
A year after the tragedy, families of the missing are still hoping to find their loved ones.
Rosalie Ermeje, 23, said she has accepted that her mother Rosalinda is gone but she wishes that her mother's remains would be found.
"The pain will always be there until she is found," Rosalie said in an interview.
Vivina Embiado, 14, the eldest of four siblings said they are still struggling to live without their parents. Their mother, Evangeline died in the tragedy while their father Victor remains missing.
A shrine with the image of the Virgin Mary was constructed at one end of the overflow bridge etched with the names of the survivors, dead and missing.
Villagers have also erected a marker in Barangay Barasan for Marbel del Rio who drowned after saving four passengers.
But the townsfolk lamented that a year after the loss of many lives, their call for the construction of regular bridge to prevent more accidents have remained unheeded.
"Please President (Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo), help us by putting a bridge here," said Arnold Eluma Jr., son of Margarita who was among the fatalities.
Fr. Francis Nicolasora, the town's parish priest, said the construction of a regular bridge remains an unfulfilled dream of the people.
"The government has the capacity to put up a bridge if it wants to," said Nicolasora.
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.
Igbaras Mayor Jaime Esmeralda said the construction of a regular bridge needs funding from the national government because it is estimated to cost from P50 to P80 million.
Presidential Assistant for Panay and Guimaras Raul Banias said he will convey the appeal of the people to the President.
In the meantime, the provincial and municipal governments are planning to put up a P600,000-hanging bridge that can be used by the people when the overflow bridge becomes impassable to vehicles.
The provincial government has allocated P300,000 for the project while the municipal government will add another P50,000.
But the residents said disaster could strike again until a regular bridge is constructed.
Just last Saturday, a passenger jeepney almost fell into the river after it was dragged by strong currents, said Daniel Mendoza, municipal disaster officer.