THE City Council, during its 100th regular session on October 21, emphasized the need to address the fate of 300 still-unidentified victims of Typhoon Sendong, which devastated the region in December 2011.

With the 13th anniversary of the disaster approaching, Councilor James Judith presented a resolution to give the victims a final resting place through a ceremonial burial.

He noted that families of those who believe their loved ones are among the unidentified, buried in a mass grave at the City Memorial Park, continue to be haunted by the lack of closure.

“Sila (victims) nagpadamgo sa ilang mahal sa kinabuhi nga dili mahaluna ang ilang kalag kung dili mahaluna ang ilang patay nga lawas,” Judith said in his report.

He called for a ceremony to bring peace to the families and provide a dignified resting place for the victims.

CLOSURE. City Councilor James Judith filed a resolution on October 20 to give a ceremonial burial for the 300 unidentified victims of Typhoon Sendong, currently in a mass grave at the City Memorial Park in Bolonsori Cemetery. Judith pointed out the need for closure, noting that families of the victims report seeing their loved ones in dreams, underscoring the emotional need for a formal send-off. GSD file photo

Judith also urged the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to provide an update on deoxyribonucleic acid extraction efforts conducted in 2012.

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the molecule that carries genetic information in living organisms. It determines inherited traits and can be used in forensic analysis to identify individuals, such as in DNA testing for identification purposes.

Councilor Roger Abaday suggested that further DNA testing could still be viable, as skeletal remains, including bones and dentures, could still be used for identification.

However, Judith maintained that the time had come to accept the loss and focus on giving the victims a proper burial, a view supported by his fellow councilors.

Vice Mayor Jocelyn Rodriguez proposed enhancing the mass grave’s concrete vault at Bolonsori Cemetery.

“They deserve our respect in a way nga mabutang sila sa sakto. Ma plastar sila sa sakto,” Rodriguez said.

The resolution has been referred to Councilor Joyleen Mercedes Balaba’s Committee on Social Services, which will consult with the victims' families to gather their input. Balaba also supports placing a marker at the grave to identify the victims as those who perished in the 2011 typhoon.

“We wanted the families to appear in our committee hearing to let us know what they want if they wanted to pursue the DNA testing,” added Balaba.