ILOILO City – The city government will set aside funds for the implementation of Regulation Ordinance 2013-238 creating a crematorium, columbarium and multipurpose halls in cemeteries.
According to Mayor Jerry Treñas, P2 million would be allocated for the creation of columbarium and new burial vaults (apartment-type) at the Tanza cemetery and another P4 million for vaults at the Iloilo City Public Cemetery in Barangay Quintin Salas, Jaro district.
It is “high time” for the city to have its own columbarium, and later on, a crematorium as stated in the ordinance, according to Treñas.
The mayor, however, noted that the construction of new apartment-type tombs at the Tanza cemetery would go first.
City Environment and Natural Resources Office head, Engr. Noel Hechanova said a portion of the cemetery would be demolished and replaced with over 300 new burial vaults.
But prior to that, cadavers or bones would be exhumed and temporarily placed in safe boxes.
Hechanova said more than 200 dead bodies would be exhumed.
Once the new tombs are completed, the bodies will be safely reinterred.
The rest of the vaults would be allotted for indigent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) casualties.
After the construction of new tombs, the columbarium will follow.
The new facility aims to decongest the Tanza cemetery which has over 10,000 tombs.
Hechanova said there is no timeline yet as to when the construction will start. The project would be up for bidding first.
Councilor Ely Estante, author of the columbarium ordinance, was thankful his ordinance was finally given attention.
“The long wait is over. Natalupangdan sang syudad ang kinahanglanon nga may ara gid sang crematorium kag columbarium ang city,” he said, citing the Mandaluyong City which has their own crematorium.
Estante cited the Tanza cemetery, the Iloilo City Public Cemetery, and the one in Barangay Jereos, La Paz district for the establishment of crematoriums and columbarium.
“Mangin mahawan na ang mga sementeryo. Kanami pa tan-awon, madula sa panghuna-huna sang tawo ang kakibang kon ara ka sa sulod patyo,” said Estante.
“Ang akon ordinansa madumduman lang kon lapit na ang Pista Minatay, pero waay naton ini ginakalimtan,” he added.
It was in 2011 when Estante first suggested that cremation services be made available to ease the congestion in cemeteries, then the ashes of the dead would be placed in space-saving columbaria.
Two years later, in 2013, the Sangguniang Panlungsod passed Regulation Ordinance 2013-238.
The Catholic Church also maintains cemeteries in the districts of Jaro, Mandurriao, La Paz, City Proper, and Arevalo but these suffer from congestion, too. There are spacious privately-managed cemeteries in the city – at least four located mostly in Jaro and Mandurriao – but not all city residents could afford to bury their dead in them./PN
