Disasters spell scarce demand for ‘lapida’

CEBU, Philippines - One week to All Saints' Day, the earthquakes shook demand for lapida (tombstone) away.

Albert V. Saga, the president of Carreta Lapida Makers Association, Inc. (CLAMAI), has noted the observable decline in the number of job orders for lapida in Cebu City, ahead of the commemoration of the day for the dead on November 1 and 2.

Saga, a lapida maker since 1976, could not help but compare this year's season with the previous years' much healthier demand.

"In arong mga panahona, daghan na unta kaayo mi'g order ana (These times, we used to get a lot of orders from customers who want us to make lapida for the graves of their departed loved one's)," Saga recalled.

CLAMAI is an organization of about 30 lapida makers in the area. Its members' principal place of business is by the roadside at the end of General Maxilom Street near Cathedral and Santo Rosario public cemeteries.

According to Saga, the powerful earthquake last October 15, along with the occasional strong aftershocks, prevented a lot of people from moving to Cebu, which is the second most badly-hit province after Bohol.

In the previous years, customers from as far as Mindanao would normally place their orders as early as October, but Saga said currently, they are receiving very few requests even from locals. "Usahay ma-zero gyud gani (Sometimes, you don't even get an order in a day or two)," he added.

At the moment, the group just makes do with the handful requirements from individual customers, according to Saga. In addition, they are currently maximizing the demand from their loyal patrons or suki because of demand scarcity.

The lapida design comes in four types, depending on the kind of stone on which the design is made. Designs maybe etched on a marble stone, granite, tiles or lecarta (plastic).

Those etched on marble can be sold at P500 to P700; granite, P2,500 to P3,000; tiles, P2,000 to P2,500; and lecarta, P1,800 to P2,000.

The seasoned lapida maker admitted that the business can actually become a profitable venture if handled well. In fact, his being a lapida maker has greatly helped their family finance the studies of his son who is now a licensed engineer.

But he said when calamities like typhoons and earthquakes strike, the business is also affected because, according to him, remembering the dead is the least among the common people's priorities.

"Imbes magpagama sila'g lapida, gamiton nalang nila ilang kwarta sa pagpanday sa ilang balay (Instead of ordering lapida, people would rather use the money to fix their damaged homes)," Saga said.

Aside from natural disasters, the looming competition among lapida makers has also contributed to the  industry's current lousy state. (FREEMAN)