CBCP urges gov’t to build more public cemeteries

MANILA, Philippines - An official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) yesterday proposed to the government to construct more public cemeteries to avoid the perennial problem of overcrowding in graveyards during All Saint’s Day.

CBCP Media Office director Monsignor Pedro Quitorio III said visiting the dead on All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day is oftentimes an ordeal for many Filipinos, especially those who have to troop to the crowded public cemeteries.

Quitorio said that the problem of overcrowding in the cemeteries is more of a concern of the society rather than a matter for the Church to address.

“This is a big problem. This is not only a Church concern. This is a society concern. The government or private entrepreneurs should already build new cemeteries to accommodate the growing number of the dead population,” said Quitorio.

He said that in his province Eastern Samar, they had an overcrowding problem but the problem was resolved when another cemetery was built.

With regards to mass graves for indigents, Quitorio said that the remains should still be given reverence and should not be discarded carelessly. The bones should be placed in a common place.

Quitorio said the relatives of people whose bones were placed in mass graves should not tolerate the shabby treatment of their deceased love ones. They should also continue to visit them.