This is the lot in Barangay Sapangdaku in Cebu City where a new public cemetery is being proposed. | Photo Courtesy of Cebu City PIO
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The new Cebu City public cemetery may not be opened sooner than expected.
This after the Cebu City Government was required to submit several permits and documents to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), said Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak.
“The new Cebu City Public Cemetery may not proceed immediately as we need to submit documents and permits to the authorities before using it,” Tumulak told reporters in a virtual press conference on Thursday, July 23.
Tumulak said the city government is still in the process of filling up applications for environmental compliance certificate (ECC) and Special Land Use permits.
“Our ordinance mandates us that we need to comply with these documents and permits before proceeding with the utilization of the land,” he said in Cebuano.
While the city has considered the matter as urgent, Tumulak, however, has requested the public for patience as things are being ironed out before the cemetery will be developed.
“We apologize for the families who are seeking places to bury loved ones who passed away due to COVID-19 especially those who cannot afford to have their remains cremated,” he said.
“We’re also asking them to stretch their patience a bit since it is also important that we must comply with all requirements before developing the project,” he added.
The city government and DENR agreed to use a two-hectare lot in Sitio Baksan, Barangay Sapangdaku to be utilized as a final resting place for residents who passed away. Among the conditions set by DENR to City Hall was to transfer trees that will be affected by land development.
Cebu City has been scrambling for potential burial sites as the number of COVID-19-related deaths continued to rise here.
As of Thursday, July 22, data from the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH – 7) showed that the city already recorded a total of 435 mortalities related to COVID-19.
Tumulak said the city government has no definite timeline yet pertaining to its public cemetery project. But he said that the land in Barangay Sapangdaku may be utilized before the year ends.
“As soon as we can get the permits and submit the necessary requirements, I believe we are good to proceed with the development,” he explained. / dcb