Group to City: Lorega cemetery must be preserved

CEBU, Philippines - An urban poor group is asking the Cebu City Government to declare the century-old Lorega-San Miguel cemetery as a historical landmark, as they continue to oppose the closure of the cemetery to pave way for the construction of a three-storey building with residential units.

Kamansi Lawis San Roque Pahantom Association (Kalapasa) president Patricio Georgua, in his three-page letter, also seeks for the City Council’s intervention to suspend implementation of the proposed socialized housing project in the 9,000-square meter cemetery.

His letter was addressed to City Councilors Margarita Osmeña, Lea Ouano-Japson and Edgardo Labella. Georgua pointed out that the government should preserve the historical landmark in their barangay instead of converting it to socialized housing.

The cemetery was established in 1936, before the Second World War. Before that, it was already the graveyard of the oldest cadaver, buried in 1912. By the start of the 1970s, however, it has become home not only to the dead but also to the living.

Georgua said that it is proper for the City to install a historical landmark there because its revolutionary leaders and prominent personalities were buried in the area.   

The Lorega San Miguel Public Cemetery was also where Don Vicente Sotto and General Arcadio Maxilom were first buried before their remains were transferred.

The proposed socialized housing project is being funded by the Priority Development Assistance Fund of former congressman Raul del Mar. The amount was P10 million plus additional funds from non-government organizations amounting to P3 million.

Last year, the City Government started its clearing operation, removing 3,012 cadavers from the cemetery.

The City Council already approved the P641, 582-budget for the clearing operation to cover the labor, rentals of the equipment and the cost of removing the cadavers.

There are at least 500 families and 329 illegal structures built within the cemetery while 362 tombs will also be demolished. A bone chamber will be built within the area where the bones will be kept

But Georgua said that the “suspension” of the development project must be considered as it destroyed the public cemetery. The group also said that the cemetery should continue to be used as a place for the dead.

Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young already referred the letter of Georgua to the committee on tourism for their study and review.

Cebu City Councilor Alvin Dizon, chairman of the committee on the urban poor development, have said that the cemetery was closed because it is no longer compliant with the Sanitation Code that requires a cemetery to be 25 meters away from a residential house and 50 meters away from a water source.

In 2000, members of the United Cemetery Side Residence Association Inc. asked DWUP to declare a portion of the cemetery as a socialized housing site. Initially, a four-story building for the informal settlers was proposed. (FREEMAN)