Finally, names for Damas orphans’ tombs

This year’s All Saints’ Day will be different for Lita Patangan. For the past three years, she has been lighting candles in front of small nameless tombs in apartment-type graves at the North Cemetery in Manila.

One of the tombs houses the body of her daughter Grace, who perished in the fire that hit Asosacion de Damas Filipinas orphanage in which 28 people, mostly children and infants, died.

This Nov. 1, Lita can finally light candles in front of Grace’s tomb after experts from the University of the Philippines College of Medicine identified the bodies through deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) testing and other forensic tests. DNA is a chemical substance found in all living cells whose composition is passed on from parents to offsprings.

"Sariwa pa rin ang lahat, yung palagi niyang pagsasabi ng Mommy, I love you," said Lita, who could not stop tears from falling. She thanked the UP forensic experts for their efforts.

Parents and relatives of those who died in the fire went to the cemetery yesterday to put lapidas on each of the 18 nameless tombs. Three other fire victims – Juan Agravante, 55; his daughter Ma. Teresa, 28; and son Adrian – were identified earlier.

Members of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) assisted the victims’ parents and relatives in putting the epitaphs.

Those who perished in the fire were Nica Dianne Francisco, John Agravante, Felipe Jimenez, Marvin Pangilinan, Jorge Corits, Danre Desder, Jaymar Oloverio, Jestoni Cortis, Ralph Lanz Tubiera, Jeffrey Jimenez, Gene Genesis Tubiera, Deeveejay Francisco, Jomay Calliao, John Isaah Balasabas, Michael Hora, Edwin Zambrano, John Mark Bunque and Grace Patangan.

VACC thanked the UP experts for identifying the fire victims.

"By sheer determination (and with) the very limited resources available, the UP team was able to identify children and infants who died in the inferno," said Janette Gonzaga, VACC executive director.

Gonzaga said the victims’ parents can now seek their death certificates from Manila City Hall’s Civil Registry.

The fire that killed Grace Patangan and 27 others, mostly children and infants, broke out at around 1:30 a.m. on Dec. 3, 1998 at the orphanage in Paco, Manila. It was the oldest institution established by the Fundacion de Damas de Filipinas. The fire was reported to have been triggered by an overheated electric fan.