The Mayor of Itogon, Benguet has called on the Benguet Corporation to help the local government look for temporary relocation and burial sites for the victims of the massive landslide that hit the area over the weekend.
Local media reported Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan appealing for help from the mining giant after blaming it for the fatal accident that claimed the lives of over 45 people.
“I’m calling on Benguet Corp. to voluntarily look for a relocation site for the evacuees,” Palangdan said in a press briefing in Itogon.
He also appealed to the company to provide temporary burial sites for the unclaimed bodies of some victims.
Palangdan noted the Pacalso Elementary School that serves as evacuation center for the displaced residents must be vacated by Sunday noon to pave way for the opening of classes the next day.
Only 18 of the 418 evacuees decided to return to Ifugao. “How about the remaining 400 evacuees? So that’s our problem now,” said Palangdan.
The mayor said there are donations for tents, but that there is no land where these can be put up.
In a statement on Tuesday, Benguet Corp. said it had sent teams to help in the search and rescue operations in the accident site.
However, Palandang claimed the company has yet to reach out to authorities.
He then called on the mining firm to send representatives to help in addressing the problem.
“Let’s not fight. We are here to solve this problem,” said the Mayor.
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