City Hall’s emergency response teams have coordinated with the management of cemeteries to help secure their areas.
CDN File Photos
Cebu City Hall in contact with military to monitor Maute remnants
Cebu City Hall is coordinating with the military and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (Nica) to prevent a spillover of violence from the Marawi City siege.
Cebu City Councilor David Tumulak said this is part of their security plan for the coming All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day observance.
Tumulak, also the city’s deputy mayor for police matters, said they are not taking any chances in securing the city from escaping remnants of the Maute Group.
He said evacuees from Marawi City don’t plan to return to the city just yet.
“So far, none of them were discussing about going home yet. I think they will spend Christmas here, especially with the opportunities here,” Tumulak said.
He said they had no problems with the evacuees so far.
In a related development, the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO) started inspecting the city’s private and public cemeteries yesterday morning, two weeks ahead of the All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day observance.
CCDRRMO Operations Chief Harold Alcontin said the inspections were part of their Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Plan under Oplan Kalag-kalag 2017.
He said cemetery owners and staff were told to install warning signs and emergency numbers and clear the encroachments at the entry and exit points of the cemeteries.
Bonifacio Baguio, one of the caretakers of the Calamba Public Cemetery, said they already identified stations where police, church officials and Red Cross volunteers may stay on November 1 and 2.
Visitors are expected to crowd the cemeteries on October 31.
“Warning signs should be set up for the public especially on public utility posts since there are a lot of cases of electrocution,” Alcontin said.
“We will also identify the focal person from each cemetery to easily contact if anything arises,” he said.
Visitors were advised to come early to avoid congestion and to bring umbrellas for protection from heat and rain.
They were also told not to bring any liquor and bladed objects to prevent untoward incidents.