Houses of the dead
Cemeteries, nowadays, are not only for people to bury their dead in. It has been transformed into a special haven to celebrate life, according to Joyce Gonzalez, Loyola marketing manager.
In fact, Gonzalez said droves frequent cemeteries not only during All Saints' or All Souls' Day but even on special occasions like the death anniversaries and their birthdays.
"Nasa kultura na rin kasi natin 'yan na kapag birthday nung namatay ay pumupunta sila doon para mag celebrate. Cemeteries now are a place for family reunions and celebrations," Gonzalez said.
But these resting places for the dead do not come cheap either. An average lot will cost you around P70,000.
The prices go higher, Gonzalez said, depending on the location of cemetery and the location inside the burial ground.
Lots are costlier if they are in a city than if they are situated in a town, she explained.
"This is because these lots are now considered as real estate property," she said.
"Kung mas malapit sa entrance gate or kung may parking area ka na dun eh mas mahal. It depends on its accessibility to the visitors," she added.
Going beyond a simple headstone or an epitaph to remember a dead loved one, some people with means have built edifice as a reminder.
Gonzalez said the much more high end "products" of Loyola are the mausoleums, whose prices range from P1 million to a whopping P5 million.
She noted that some of these mausoleums are fitted with air-conditioning units for the comfort of the visiting family members, relatives and friends.
Even though these mausoleums are good enough for the living to reside in, Gonzalez said they discourage family members from doing so.
"Just keep them clean when they leave the place. It's all a question of sanitation," she said, noting that some of the restrictions now imposed in all cemeteries are there to keep people from abusing the use of these places.
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