• THERESA MAE DULMAN
The Bacolod City government will relocate the skeletal remains of about 454 individuals from the Burgos Public Cemetery to a bone vault facility at the Handumanan Public Cemetery.
Secretary to the mayor, Atty. Jose Marty Go, said June 25 that clearing operations will prioritize deteriorated niches near the cemetery’s perimeter fence, and graves that have been destroyed and in place for over a decade.
The Bacolod General Services Office (GSO) said the scope of relocation will focus on the remains situated near the cemetery’s first gate as part of regular institutional maintenance and site development.
Go said the relocation will follow an administrative protocol and will involve consultation with the families of the deceased.
The GSO has already published the list of the 454 affected names on social media platforms to reach out to concerned families and relatives.
The city government has requested all affected next of kin to visit the Public Affairs and Assistance Division Office at the third floor of the Bacolod Government Center before June 30 to complete the identity verification and administrative paperwork.
“We want to assure the families that this will come at no expense to them, but there are proper procedures that must be followed. There will be a consultation first before we move the bones of their deceased loved ones from the Burgos Public Cemetery,” Go said.
He added that the pillars and perimeter fence of the cemetery will be renovated.
Meanwhile, the city’s Land Banking Committee recently convened to determine the appraisal cost required for purchasing additional land adjacent to the Handumanan Cemetery.
“The committee convened for the appraisal cost, which is part of the process when the city purchases land. Once that is finalized, the city will acquire the property to expand and widen the Handumanan Cemetery,” Go added. | TMD
