Cebu City to appeal DOH decision on Sapangdaku cemetery

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City government will attempt to appeal the decision of the Department of Health (DOH) over their refusal to provide the necessary permits for the cemetery in Barangay Sapangdaku for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) victims.

Councilor David Tumulak, the proponent of the ordinance for the new Cebu City Memorial Garden, said that the concerns DOH raised can actually be addressed with the development plan.

Read: Cebu City’s new public cemetery to be transferred in Sapangdaku

The DOH provided five reasons not to push through with the project, including the fact that a house is located in the area for the caretaker of the lot. The other reasons are: There is a direct run-off of water causing flooding; The total land area is 2 hectares when only 1.2 hectares are allowed for cemeteries; The non-issuance of water table depth; and concerns of residents of health risks in the area.

Tumulak said that the house in the area is not a permanent dwelling, but only a resting place for the caretaker of the lot. This can easily be addressed in the development plan.

“Kanang run-off sa water, naa man gyod na kay wala pamay development sa area, walay drainage. But we can address that in our development plan, if only they give us a chance,” said Tumulak in a phone interview with CDN Digital.

(The run-off of the water, that’s a given because there is still no development in the area, there’s no drainage.)

The city can easily reduce the size of the cemetery to the recommended 2 hectares as well, Tumulak said.

The issuance of a water table depth will also follow if there is endorsement of the DOH for development in the area. Without that endorsement, the city government is at a stalemate over the cemetery development.

Finally, Tumulak said that the fears of the people over health concerned can be answered by the DOH themselves, through investigation on whether the cemetery with the development plan they propose would actually harm the residents.

“Ang amoa lang is tagaan mig chance nga mopresent sa among development plan addressing their concerns because the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) is the one who recommended the area,” the councilor said.

(We just want a chance to present our development plan addressing their concerns because the DENR is the one who recommended the area.)

If the appeal fails, the city government will have to turn to DENR again for recommendations on another area for the cemetery, bringing the project back to square one.

Tumulak appealed to the DOH to allow the city to address the technical concerns and reconsider their decision based on the development plan.

Mayor Edgardo Labella told CDN Digital that the city will always comply with the agencies’ protocols and policies.

He added that since the number of COVID-19 cases has dropped in the city, there is no longer a huge sense of urgency for the cemetery to be built immediately.

“We can take our time as long as we have controlled our cases and reduced the spread,” said the mayor.

Still, for Tumulak, the city must remain proactive and prepare for the worst.

The cemetery is the last service the city can do for victims of COVID-19, an assurance of a decent and respectable burial after battling a pandemic. /bmjo