Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu (center) inspects the proposed site of the Cebu City Memorial Garden in the mountain barangay of Sapandaku. | Photo courtesy of Cebu City PIO
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu has given the green light for Cebu City to already start the establishment of a public cemetery in Barangay Sapangdaku.
This after he inspected the properties located in Sitios Patayng Yuta and Baksan measuring a total of three-hectares on Monday, July 20, 2020.
With Cimatu’s verbal approval, Mayor Edgardo Labella expressed confidence that the city’s cemetery project would also get the needed permits from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
The city government first identified a property in Barangay Guba as the proposed site for the cemetery project that will mostly accommodate COVID-19 fatalities, but DENR said that the area was not fit for its intended use because it was located within a watershed area and was part of the Central Cebu Protective Landscape.
Barangay Guba is in Cebu City’s north district and is located about 21 kilometers away from the City Hall.
Read: Cebu City finds lot in Barangay Guba for public cemetery
“We have to immediately identify burial sites that are outside protected areas and will pose no harm to the immediate community,” Cimatu said.
Cimatu found a suitable site for the city’s cemetery project in Barangay Sapangdaku in the city’s south district.
Read: Cebu City’s new public cemetery to be transferred in Sapangdaku
The environment secretary led an inspection of the Sapangdaku site on Monday, July 20, in an effort to help the city government address its need for new burial spaces.
Read: Tumulak: Cebu City needs new cemetery, crematorium to address shortage of burial spaces
Labella said they will start to develop the two-hectare site in Barangay Sapangdaku as soon as possible. But the area is “expandable” should there be a need for additional burial spaces.
He said that while there is no available public transport going to the area, roads there were already concreted to ensure the safety of travelers. / dcb
Photos of the proposed cemetery site are courtesy of the Cebu City PIO.
