A Visit to Antonio C. Acharon Memorial Park

Today is All Soul’s Day. My father has been dead for almost six years now and the family had been regularly visiting his grave every year (almost monthly during the first two years). So this morning, we woke up early, thinking that the cemetery would be very crowded during the day as we had experienced for the previous years. By seven, with our stomachs empty except for some coffee and milk, the family headed to Uhaw Cemetery, now known as Antonio C. Acharon Memorial Park.

To our surprise, there was a light traffic at the entrance of the cemetery and the arched gate had already been put up. For some past two years, the old cemetery had undergone major renovations. Graveyards and burial vaults were demolished; instead, apartment type graves were constructed. Most of the very old dead (or bones), particularly those buried in the 90’s and earlier, were placed altogether in a common grave. The common grave is located at the center of the park. In the beginning, there had been strong resistance against the changes, but the present improvements observed in the cemetery dissipated those doubts and criticisms.

Anyway, police officers and guards were also visible and properly deployed in the cemetery this morning. There was wide parking space, separately for motorcycles, tricycles and four-wheel vehicles. And thanks to the recent ITCZ, the ground was not dusty.

There is also a chapel in the cemetery where one can pray for their dead. There is an information center (or office) where one can inquire the location of graves or surrender lost person or items. There were multitudes of people in the park, but the cemetery yard is just too large that I could not feel the crowd at all. Except for the blazing sun, our visit to the cemetery today is a pleasant experience. Congratulations to the people behind improving the old Uhaw Cemetery.

 

 

 Here are some images of the old Uhaw Cemetery.