THE Iloilo City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) will rehabilitate the tombs and cemetery situated at Tanza Cemetery in City Proper which collapsed.

According to Cenro head Engr. Noel Hechanova, the four-story tombs collapsed due to weather changes, “unregulated construction” and “old age” of structures.

Hechanova mentioned that the incident transpired for the second time already and on the recent situation, about 18 tombs with 27 remains was recorded to be discovered.

For the proper actions to be applied, Cenro will conduct a meeting to tackle the problem.

Hechanova held that the primary plan is to transfer the affected the remains on a temporary graveyard which will be situated on the same cemetery.

Relative to this, they will temporarily rehabilitate the area after they identify the “relatively fresh” to old remains and sanitize the affected portion.

The Cenro head said that he will request funding from the city government for the expenses needed.

The Cenro has a new rehabilitation plan for the whole Tanza cemetery on the Delgado entrance with a budget amounting to one million pesos which is currently on the City Engineer’s Office.

As of now, they will focus on the urgent sanitation of the area with collapsed tombs.

“They should look first on the urgency of sanitation,” Hechanova said.

The total number of tombs in the cemetery reach up to more than ten thousand. Previously, Hechanova said that there is a recorded similar incident on 2013. (Carolyn Jane Abello)