This is the old chapel of the Calamba Cemetery that Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama aims to restore.| Wenilyn B. Sabalo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama expressed his plans to restore the old, heritage chapel inside the Calamba Cemetery.
Rama said he would personally raise funds for this undertaking, and he would personally contribute at least P30,000 for the rehabilitation funding.
The mayor inspected the cemetery today, Oct. 27, 2022, as part of the final preparations for the Kalag-Kalag 2022 celebration.
“P30,000 may na raise karon, ako sa akoang (part), whatever naa ba koy bonus o unsa, P30,000 sad akoa,” he said.
(There is P30,000 that has been raised now, for me (on my part), whatever if I have a bonus or whatever it is, I pledge P30,000, too.)
“Ang katigayunan lang naa ra sa atong tugkaran. Daghan kaayong datu dinhi. Naghilom lang. Ato sad silang paapilon bisa’g wala silay patay dinhi,” he added.
(Wealth is at our doorstep. We have a lot of rich people here. They are just silent (about being rich). We will let them join even if they don’t have any dead relatives here.)
Fr. Cocoi Olmilla, for his part, welcomed the announcement of the mayor: Mao bitaw to nga nalipay ko nga naminaw ganina sa mayor nga naghisgot bitaw nga irestore ang chapel. Kay kining menteryoha, bisag inyong tan-awon ang facade cultural heritage naman na siya. Usa sa damgo sa syudad ang pag restore sa mga karaan, he told reporters.
(Fr. Cocoi Olmilla, for his part, welcomed the announcement of the mayor: That was why I was happy to listen to the mayor discussing about restoring the chapel. Because this cemetery, even if you look at it, the facade is already a cultural heritage. One of the dreams of the city is to restore those that are old [structures].)
He also said that the church and the Cebu City government have agreed to open the Calamba cemetery from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. for the observance of Kalag Kalag 2022 on November 1 and 2.
Rama stated that suitable access and exit points should be established in every cemetery to maintain order.
The mayor, earlier, announced that the activities inside cemeteries would return to the same celebration prior to the onset and height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but he asked his constituents to follow the general directives and guidelines that the city had issued.
These include the not bringing bladed weapons or liquor inside the cemeteries. The city also does not allow overnight stay at the cemeteries on the same period.
READ: Kalag-Kalag 2022: Mayor Rama allows mass and religious activities inside Cebu City cemeteries
“Dili kay entrance and exit sa atubangan. Sa luyo diay? Duna diay toy laing wa hibaw-i nga entrance ug exit. Unsay mahitabo ana? Kung inig ka gabii, ngitngit ang menteryo, anha dinha ang tinonto,” he told reporters.
(Not only the entrance and exit at the front. What about the back? There is another entrance and exit there that only a few knew about. What will happen to that? At night, when the cemetery is dark, that is when shenanigans would happen.)
“Walay vending sa sulod. Kahibalo na na sila og asa (allowed), taga dinhi man ni sila ba. Basta ang agianan sidewalk, sidewalk,” he added.
(Vending is not allowed inside. They already where (it is allowed), they are from here. Just be sure that a sidewalk is a sidewalk.)
READ MORE:
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Kalag-Kalag 2022: Dos and Don’ts
PNP readies for traditional ‘Undas’
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