Over P10M set aside for columbarium niches in Cebu City

CEBU, Philippines — The city government of Cebu has allocated over P10 million to four cemetery columbarium niches following the increase in the number of deaths in the city recently.

At the moment though, the city government is still waiting for the memorandum of agreement between the city and the Archdiocese of Cebu Board to be signed for the construction works to begin.

City Councilor Jerry Guardo told The Freeman that available lots in four cemeteries including those of Calamba, Luz, Carreta, and Talamban are all privately owned and need to be donated to the city government for them not to be flagged by the Commission on Audit.

Guardo said they have already prepared the program of works and estimate (POWE) ahead so that anytime, work can commence right away.

A POWE of the Calamba cemetery’s proposed columbarium is estimated to cost P2,638,980.

Guardo also said that the same amount will also be set aside for the other three cemeteries identified since all columbaria will have the same design and size.

Each columbarium is designed to accommodate at least 200 units.

This month alone, Cebu City already has 85 COVID-19 confirmed deaths and over a hundred other community deaths.

With this, cemeteries and crematoriums have become overwhelmed that the city government needed to find some solutions to address this concern before resorting to a mass burial site. —Decemay P. Padilla/GMR (FREEMAN)