With balloons, candles, kins offer prayers for loved ones

Mourning balloons. Families of the victims in Tina-an, Naga City flew balloons and offered prayers for their lost loved ones. (SunStar Foto / Alan Tangcawan)
Mourning balloons. Families of the victims in Tina-an, Naga City flew balloons and offered prayers for their lost loved ones. (SunStar Foto / Alan Tangcawan)

A BALLOON with a “happy birthday” message printed on it was set off into the air in Barangay Tina-an, Naga City, for Riz Janine Campanilla, who is believed to have died during the landslide.

During the formal declaration of the suspension of retrieval operations at ground zero, a mass and a procession bearing the images of St. Francis of Assisi and Sr. Sto. Niño were paraded. The priest also blessed the landslide site.

Riz Janine would have celebrated her 13th birthday yesterday, but since she remains missing after the landslide, her aunt Gwen Lesley Macalinao instead flew balloons and lighted candles at the landslide site.

After the mass, Naga City Mayor Kristine Chiong was teary-eyed when she spoke before relatives of victims.

“This is the time that we stay united, we stay in prayer nga makabangon ang Naga ug ma-comfort ang tanan nga nawad-an og loved ones (that Naga can rise up and comfort those who lost their loved ones),” said Chiong.

She said it was no longer safe to stay near ground zero and risk another life.

“We are on our Day 17. Somehow, as the responsible officer of the whole operations, I have to make the hard decision,” said Chiong.

The mayor said she had explained the suspension of retrieval operations to the families who are still waiting. The decision was based on the recommendations by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Central Office to conclude the operations.

Yesterday, the last figures were that 78 were confirmed dead, five were missing, and there were 13 body parts from unidentified persons.

The City Government now waits for the reduction plan of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to check if there are still houses where families can return to.

After most responders had pulled out of ground zero, the police and army stayed to secure the properties of families who live in the vicinity.

“Maybe a ‘thank you’ is not enough to say to everybody how much I am appreciative and how much I am grateful that you are here,” Chiong said.

Ground zero commander and head of the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office head Tribunalo Baltazar Jr. said they are in the transition from humanitarian emergency to recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

They have also agreed with Apo Land and Quarry Corp. that if the latter finds body parts in their operation, they turn them over to the local government. EOB

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