85 interred as families rush to beat burial deadline

MANILA, Philippines - Eighty-five corpses were interred at the Manila North Cemetery last Sunday, just before All Souls’ Day and All Saints’ Day.

Edgardo Noriega, Manila North Cemetery administrator, told The STAR that burials have been suspended starting Monday and until Sunday.

“I cannot say yet if Sunday will still be suspended,” he said.

“If the family could carry the casket until the farthest portion of the cemetery, we might allow it, since vehicles will still be banned inside by that time. How can they carry it from the gate up to the farthest portion which is about three kilometers?”

Noriega said people visiting the Manila North Cemetery could reach about 1.1 million.

Since Oct. 26,  people have been visiting the cemetery and they usually stay until nighttime, he added.

“We usually only check the death certificate when we do the burials, the residence, what funeral homes handled the body and which part of the cemetery they will bury it,” he said.

Noriega said balisong (fan knife) and other knives, alcoholic drinks, guitars, sound systems, musical instruments, radios, and tarpaulins, especially those from politicians, are banned inside the Manila North Cemetery.

“The tarpaulin of Mayor (Lim) I also had it removed,” he said.

“Even my tarpaulin, I had it removed. I have a tarpaulin saying, ‘Eto sementeryo nyo. Panatiliin natin malinis (This is your cemetery, keep it clean)’.”

Starting today and up to Friday and maybe even up to Sunday, vehicles will be banned inside the cemetery due to the large crowds expected. Cars have been ordered removed since yesterday.

Noriega said the Manila North Cemetery is the biggest in the Philippines, covering 54 hectares. The Manila South Cemetery in Makati is less than half the size, he added.

Noriega said more than a million remains have already been buried at the Manila North Cemetery since it was established.

However, several remains have been removed, he added.

Noriega said some graves are only being rented for a period of five years and renewable for another five years.

Some remains have been transferred since the families can no longer afford the rent, he added.

However, grave sites are also offered for free at the paupers’ section, Noreiga said.

Noreiga denied claims that Manila lacks cemeteries.

“We are able to do something about it. There is no lack of cemetery here since we are able to do something about it. The mayor has a program for free burial.”

Noreiga said rent for the cheapest grave site, apartment type, is about P2,000, which includes a permit from City Hall. The rent is for five years and renewable for another five, he added.

Noreiga said some marble mausoleums in the cemetery could sell for as high as P1 million to P3 million.

In Parañaque, two of the largest private cemeteries have suspended regular interment service to give way to visitors during All Saints’ Day.

This has been an annual practice in most cemeteries, according to the managements of Manila Memorial Park and Loyola Memorial Park.

Lamberto Peña, Manila Memorial Park manager, and Joan Crusada, a family councilor at Loyola Memorial Park, said the suspension will take effect today until Nov. 4.

Cremation services in Loyola will be suspended until Nov. 2.

Peña said burials are easy if the deceased has its own mausoleum.

“Baka yung mga tao, lalo na yung mga bata, mahulog lang sa hukay (People, especially the children, might fall into the graves),” he said in explaining the reason for the suspension.

Crusada said interments are difficult at this time because other graves would be affected if the park management removes the sod and digs up the soil.

She said owners of the nearby plots might complain.

Those who push through with interment on the crucial dates (Oct. 31-Nov. 2) can avail of the temporary aboveground interment. Clients who do can expect burial after All Saints’ Day.– With Aie Balagtas See