ILOILO City – The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) is reminding local government units (LGUs) to carefully assess proposed areas for conversion into safe burial grounds for those who died of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
According to Mae Magarzo, chief geologist at MGB Region 6, the sites must meet the requirements set by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in managing the human remains of Patients Under Investigation (PUIs) and confirmed COVID-19 cases.
LGUs started scouting for lots where to safely and immediately bury the dead after the only crematory in Panay Island temporarily declined accepting new COVID cadavers.
“The most important thing is not to contaminate the groundwater and not to cause great damage to the environment,” Magarzo told Panay News.
What are the requirements according to the DILG?
Procedure for burial
* Remains shall be placed in a sealed casket.
* Remains shall not be taken to any place of public assembly. Viewing of the deceased shall not be permitted.
* Burial permit from the city/municipality where the deceased will be buried shall be secured by the next kin.
* No remains shall be buried within the 25-meter radius of any residential area.
* The grave shall be at least one and one half meters deep and filled well and firmly.
* No remains shall be buried in a grave where water table is less than two meter deep from the natural ground surface.
* No human remains shall be exhumed within five years from the cadavers’ burial unless otherwise provided by (designated representative of the Department of Health) when in his opinion the exhumation of the remains will not endanger the lives of the people.
* In every exhumation, the human remains must be done in the presence of the Local Health Officer, disinfected and places in a suitable and hermetically sealed container.
For those that will be cremated
* A written consent shall be obtained from those who are authorized to arrange the funeral or burial site of the deceased, which allows the conduct of this procedure.
* The staff of the funeral establishments or crematorium shall ensure the identity of the cadaver to be cremated. Also, they shall exercise due diligence to ensure that this procedure shall not be abused by those persons who committed a crime against the persons of the deceased and aims to conceal it.
* Cremains shall be reduced to the size of fine sand or ashes and packed in a cremains container before they are turned over to the relatives of the deceased.
* Cremains shall be placed in an appropriate container.
* Public and private cemeteries or private burial grounds shall be designated for the disposal of human remains/cremains where relatives of the deceased so wish. Cremains shall be allowed to be brought home only in the prescribed container.
Is Iloilo City a suitable burial site?
With the city standing on a flat surface, “usually may mga areas nga less than one meter may tubig na,” said Magarzo. “Pero not all naman kay depende man sa contour of the area.”
As to the creation of memorial parks, Magarzo said an environment compliance certificate must be secured from the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB).
“May yara man guidelines sa EMB kon ano lang ang areas suitable sa memorial parks,” said Magarzo./PN
