BACOLOD City Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. said Sunday, November 5, he will ask the members of the cemetery regulatory board to convene this week to discuss the proposed closure of the Burgos or North Public Cemetery.
Gamboa said he will pass a resolution on Wednesday asking Mayor Evelio Leonardia to convene the body.
He said that on June 17, 2016, the City Council approved an ordinance creating the regulatory board, which he authored.
The regulatory board is chaired by the city mayor, the City Health Office as vice chair, with its members the chairpersons of the committees on public works, health, General Services Office, City Planning Development Office, City Engineer’s Office, and representative from the Liga ng mga Barangay.
Gamboa said the regulatory board will discuss the status of the public cemeteries especially the Burgos Public Cemetery, and will make a recommendation.
The regulatory board will identify a lot that will be purchased for a new public cemetery.
The city-owned cemeteries are Burgos or North Public Cemetery, Barangays Granada and Handumanan cemeteries.
On November 1 and 2, the General Services Office received complaints from residents who found the graves of their loved ones missing at the Burgos Cemetery.
The tombs were illegally removed and the area was supposedly replaced by a mausoleum.
The General Services Office is conducting an investigation.
Gamboa said that on Friday, the City Health Office submitted its recommendation to the City Council to prohibit interments at the Burgos Public Cemetery as soon as possible until complete rehabilitation has been done.
On November 2, the CHO conducted an assessment at the Burgos Public Cemetery. It showed that the area is already overpopulated where tombs and niches are in a topsy-turvy arrangement obstructing passageways.
Also some niches are open and tombstones are replaced with another name without prior notice and permission.
About 28 contractors were identified by the caretaker.
Uncollected and unsegregated garbage were also piled and scattered along
pathways and sides of niches.
Six households still live inside the cemetery, which has no public toilet, and vendors are also selling cigarettes in the area.
Last week, the City Council approved on first reading the proposed ordinance, also authored by Gamboa, providing the guidelines for the operation and maintenance of all cemeteries owned by the city and imposing fees for the purpose.