With cemetery congestion: LC to reassess columbarium proposal

By Dominic B. dela Cruz

Staff Reporter

AS THERE ARE no more room for tombs at the Laoag City public cemetery, the city government is set to reassess the earlier columbarium proposal.

A columbarium is sepulchral vault with recesses on the wall which would hold ashes of the dead in urns.

The construction of columbarium was earlier suggested by former Laoag councilor Francis Manolito Dacuycuy to address the same lack of space for tombs at the public cemetery.

In a regular staff meeting at the city hall, treasurer Ma. Elena Asuncion confirmed that there are no more space available for the construction of tombs at the city cemetery. She added that this is due to the high number of burials weekly.

She stated further that the plan to purchase adjacent lots have yet to be finalized. Asuncion proposed that to solve the immediate problems, the cemetery’s fence could be used to build apartment-type of tombs.

City assessor Engr. Ruben Domingo, who was primarily tasked to negotiate with the owners of the lots the city government plans to acquire, said he has yet to talk to the owners personally. The lot owners are reportedly residing outside the country and Domingo’s calls have not been answered. The engineer said he has left several messages to the owners but they have yet to reply.

Laoag mayor Chevylle V. Fariñas has instructed assistant city engineer Fred Agpaoa to look for the best solution for this problem. She emphasized that this should be given priority.

Agpaoa said they would include this in the priority projects of the city government.

Meanwhile, Dacuycuy, now the Laoag City General Hospital chief, said they need to revisit the earlier approved resolution calling for the establishment of a city-owned columbarium.

Dacuycuy, who sponsored the measure, believes that this is one of the best solutions to resolve this problem.

The former councilor cited Mandaluyong City as an example. Mandaluyong owns its own columbarium.

He explained further that should this idea prosper, a crematorium would be needed and though this would mean more expense, it would translate to more savings in the future. He added that this is more practical and better health-wise.

Dacuycuy expounded that the city government would need an initial investment of P14 million for the acquisition of a lot and for the construction of the facilities. The most expensive in this plan, he said, would be the crematorium.

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