The death toll from the collapsed Binaliw landfill in Cebu City rose to 28 on Friday, with eight individuals still missing.
Cebu City councilor Dave Tumulak said search and rescue operations continued despite rains in the city caused by Tropical Storm Ada.
“Our responders want to rescue all, so it will be done and they can already go home,” Tumulak said in Cebuano.
Meanwhile, Cebu Archbishop Albert Uy recently visited the grieving families of the victims at the landfill.
“I came here today because I want to share your grief; not because I can remove your pain—only God can do that—but because I hope that my presence, even in a small way, can lessen the weight you are carrying in your hearts,” Uy said.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Field Office (FO) 7 – Central Visayas has provided assistance to affected families and individuals.
Read-to-Eat Food (RTEF) boxes were immediately provided to the victims while temporary tents were set up near the landfill to accommodate families seeking updates on their missing loved ones.
“The DSWD is working closely with the LGU, ensuring that the affected families are provided with the needed intervention, especially as retrieval operations are still on-going,” DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said.
“In this type of disaster, it is not only rescue that is important, but also support for the families who have lost and families who continue to wait for news about their loved ones. Not only relief goods but also psychosocial care, because the trauma of such an event has a great impact emotionally,” she added.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated story. Originally posted with the headline “Death toll in Binaliw landfill trash slide rises to 26.”
