Las Piñas City formally opened the first-ever operated public crematorium and columbarium this Wednesday (August 4) to serve its residents free of charge.
Mayor Imelda T. Aguilar said the 3-storey columbarium is host to 25,000 vaults in its Building 1 that could accommodate four (4) standard urns each. There are also 11 chapels for viewing and wakes to be held, and cremation services which could be availed free of charge to legitimate city residents.
Some 2,200 urn vaults are initially available for qualified Las Piñeros who wish to avail of the columbarium space.
“We believe that providing this kind of services in these times is crucial considering the dreaded effects of COVID-19 pandemic that adversely affected our less fortunate residents,” Aguilar added.
But the mayor pointed out that the public crematorium and columbarium is aimed to serve Las Piñeros regardless of the cause of death provided their families comply with the requirements to avail of the city’s burial assistance program.
Those who would die due to COVID-19 could be immediately referred to the city crematorium.
The crematorium and columbarium is situated on a 7,000 square-meter area in Barangay Ilaya with safe parking spaces, provided with water and electricity supplies, and clean restrooms. The road going to the site has been widened and paved for easy access to the facility.
Its construction started in 2017 but was temporarily suspended due to budgetary constraint, which was resumed in late 2019 and fast tracked last year as part of the measures to address the effects of COVID-19 pandemic.
The public chapels are likewise aimed to address obstruction and traffic during wakes which are often held along the roadside, especially in highly populated areas.
The public columbarium program would eventually replace the existing burial assistance package given to Las Piñeros. A member of the bereaved family need only to apply for burial assistance with the City Social Welfare and Development Office through the usual process.
The applicant has options either for cremation or traditional burial. For those who would opt for cremation, the bereaved family could also avail the use of one of the 11 chapels before the inurnment at the columbarium. But for those who would prefer the traditional burial, they could still avail of the regular burial assistance.