A couple from Malasiqui, Pangasinan has found a way to keep their family’s traditional lapida-making business alive, by taking it digital.

Dan and Crisly Magdato inherited the trade from their parents, who made tombstones by hand. But in 2019, they decided to modernize their process through computerized designs to keep up with changing times and customer preferences.

“Wala na rin pong naghahanap ng mano-mano. Puro na rin po talaga computerized. Mas maganda daw po kasi iyong ukit tapos iyong mga design, nilalagay daw lahat ng gustong design,” Crisly said.

She creates the layouts using a laptop. She then uses a printer cutter to transfer the design onto a rubberized sticker, which is then placed on a granite block. Her husband, Dan, takes care of the final process, attaching the sticker, sandblasting the letters, painting the design, and adding the photo of the deceased.

“Sa ngayon, hindi ka na masyadong mapapagod. Kailangan mo lang ng printer, laptop, okay na. Makakagawa ka na ng lapida. Pero pag mano-mano, kailangan mo pang mag-drawing, mag-lettering, tapos kailangan mo pang mag-provide ng lakas para matapos mo ang isang lapida,” Dan said.

The couple shared that with the computerized system, production has nearly doubled compared to traditional methods. A single lapida now costs around P5,500, depending on its size and design.

“Sa katayuan namin ngayon, ok naman. Mas okay siya. Nakakapag-provide po siya ng pangangailangan namin araw-araw... kahit medyo malaki ang puhunan pero kaya naman po,” Crisly said.

For the Magdatos, combining technology and love for their craft is the key to keeping their small business both sustainable and meaningful.