Families find life through living with the dead

Cemeteries are of course only for the dead. Not all. The Manila North Cemetery, the country’s largest burial ground, is also home to at least 2,000 Filipinos, including siblings Nena Turla and Roger Cuaresma and their families who share a space with their departed loved ones. The mausoleum on Street 24 of the cemetery is where Turla, Cuaresma, and ten others live – the same cramped place where the tombs of the siblings’ grandmother and father lie. “Labindalawa kami lahat diyan. Pinagkakasya na lang namin sarili namin para may matulugan lang (Twelve of us live there. We just cramp ourselves up to have a place to stay)," 31-year-old Turla says.

Instead of using the money that their father left for to them to find a place to live, the siblings decided to spend it for the construction of the mausoleum’s second floor. But the extended structure made of wood and galvanized iron lacked amenities. "Sa labas kami naliligo. Kapag nasi-CR kami, minsan sa plastic na lang o kaya nakiki-CR na lang sa ibang musoleo, (We take a bath outdoors. When we need to use the restroom, we use plastic bags instead or we use restrooms in other mausoleums)," Turla says. The mausoleum also doesn't have electricity, so Turla and her family rely on candles to light up their dark nights with the dead. Though their situation could be miserable, and even frightening, Cuaresma says their decision to live with the dead was made for practical reasons. “Nandito kasi ang hanapbuhay namin kaya nandito na rin ang buhay namin (We make our living here, that is why we live here)," says 29-year-old Cuaresma. Cuaresma earns P360 a year for every tomb that he takes care of. He makes sure that the tomb and the area around it is clean. He charges extra if a family wants him to repaint their loved one’s tomb. To sufficiently feed a family of six, Cuaresma also works as a helper in a wet market and a patrolman at the cemetery on certain days. “Kailangan talagang kumayod. Lalo na ngayon, high school na ‘yung panganay ko. Malay mo, kapag nakatapos sila ng pag-aaral, makaalis kami rito (I really need to work hard. Especially now, my eldest is already in high school. If she finishes school, maybe we can get out of here)," says Cuaresma. Peace and quiet with the dead Bonifacio Isip, 49, also makes a living through staying with the dead. He had to quit driving a passenger jeepney after his eyesight got too bad for him to drive. In 1987, he found work as caretaker of tombs in the same cemetery. “Nandito ang trabaho ko. Nandito ang mga puntod na alaga ko. Kaya nandito ako (My job is here. The tombs I take care of are here. That is why I am here)," he says. The world of the dead is where Isip finds peace and quiet. He used to live with his wife and three children in a house along Tagaytay Street in Caloocan City, but he chose to leave them and stay at the cemetery where two of his relatives are buried. “Magulo kasi sa area namin. Panay ang raid. Madami pang adik. Mas tahimik pa talaga rito (It is really chaotic in our area. There are raids here and there. There are also so many drug addicts. It is really more peaceful here)," Isip says. “Mas nakakatakot ang taong buhay kaysa sa taong patay (I fear the living more than the dead)," he adds. Peter Tamundong, officer-in-charge of the Manila North Cemetery, says these people who live inside the cemetery either own the mausoleums or have permits from the families who own the structures. “’Yung ibang squatters dito, may permit naman ng mga may-ari ng musoleo. ‘Yung iba naman, caretakers ng mga puntod (Some of the squatters here have permits from the owners of the mausoleums. Some are caretakers of the tombs)," Tamundong says. More than 11,000 people used to live at the cemetery, but Tamundong ordered their houses built inside the burial ground demolished when he took charge of the place. “Kaya nga ang dami-dami kong demanda, dahil ang dami kong pinagiba dito (That’s why I’m facing many lawsuits. I ordered the demolition of the squatters’ area here)." But the problem is not that easy to solve, Tamundong admits. “’Yung iba kasi, pinaalis mo na, babalik pa (Others who we already managed to send away still manage to return)." Burial ground used as dumpsite Some of those who bought lots at the cemetery have begun complaining against illegal settlers. “Saan ka naman nakakita ng sementeryong may mga nakatira? ‘Yung lote namin doon, inokupahan at binakuran na (Why are there people living inside the cemetery? The lot we bought there have already been occupied and fenced by informal settlers)," says Eliza de Leon, who has seven relatives buried there. She says the lot she bought now serves as the encroachers’ dumpsite. “Nakakasama talaga ng loob. Ginagawang sampayan, tambakan at ihian ang lote namin (I really feel bad. Our lot was turned into a place where the informal settlers urinate, dump their trash, and dry their clothes)," she says. “Mayroon pang mga palara noong huli kaming bumisita. Ibig sabihin, may nagsa-shabu din doon (We even found some materials there used in consuming illegal drugs. That means there are drug users at the cemetery)," she adds. “Sana naman gawan nila ng paraan ‘yan. Nagbabayad kami pero hindi naman naaalagaan ‘yung mga puntod namin (I hope they do something about this. We pay them but they don’t take care of our relatives’ tombs)," says De Leon. Just temporary? Turla knows that staying at the cemetery is illegal. She, however, could not think of any place to live. “Siguro nga lupa ito ng mga patay na hindi namin dapat tinitirhan. Pero saan naman kami pupunta (This is really the land for the dead and we should not be living here. But where else will we go)?" “Kung maganda ‘yung iboboto natin sa eleksyon, baka sakaling makaalis na kami dito. Naniniwala ako na pansamantala lang ito (If we vote wisely in the next elections, maybe we can finally get out of here. I really believe this is just temporary)," she says. But Cuaresma has something else in mind. “Sa sementeryo na rin naman kami nakatira. Kung dito na kami mamamatay, hindi na magiging problema ang libingan (We live in the cemetery. If we die here, our final resting place will no longer be a problem)." - GMANews.TV