It has become a tradition that long before All Soul’s Day on November 2, families will visit their dead as early as a week ago. Davao Today shows the sights of the living and the dead in the city’s cemeteries.
Photos by MEDEL V. HERNANI & ACE R. MORANDANTE
Text by MARILOU AGUIRRE-TUBURAN
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — It has become a tradition that long before All Soul’s Day on November 2, families will visit their dead as early as a week ago. Davao Today shows the sights of the living and the dead in the city’s cemeteries.
OFF TO THE CEMETERY. Families troop to the Tibungco Public Cemetery to visit the graves of their loved ones. (davaotoday.com photo by Medel V. Hernani)
CANDLES AT THE GATE. In Panacan Public Cemetery, people offered candles at the cemetery’s entrance as pathways were no longer passable from floods the previous day. (davaotoday.com photo by Medel V. Hernani)
VISITING THE GRAVES. Families visit their deceased members at the Panacan Public Cemetery. The land occupied by the cemetery, according to Rowell Gotas, was donated by his great grandfather, Spanish Mariano Osorio in the 1800’s. (davaotoday.com photo by Medel V. Hernani)
CANDLE OFFERING. A woman lights candles at the tombstone of her dear departed in Matina village’s Davao Memorial Park. (davaotoday.com photo by Medel V. Hernani)
OFFERING THEIR PRAYERS. An old woman and a man share a solemn prayer in their departed’s grave in Matina village’s Davao Memorial Park. (davaotoday.com photo by Medel V. Hernani)
TIGHT SECURITY. Security measures were imposed in Bankerohan village’s Wireless Cemetery as cigarettes, knives , among others, were ordered to be deposited at the police table. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)
REMEMBERING THE DEAD. People prepare for their night vigil at the Wireless Cemetery in Bankerohan village. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)
FOOD FOR THE DEAD. In Bankerohan village’s Wireless Cemetery, food and drinks were also offered in this marker. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)
WIRELESS AT DUSK. The Wireless Cemetery in Bankerohan village at dusk. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)
WIRELESS BY NIGHT. Bankerohan village’s Wireless Cemetery at night. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)
FLOWER VENDORS. Flower vendors, who get up as early as three in the morning to prepare for the day, show their arrangements to a potential customer. All Soul’s Day is the other time aside from Valentine’s Day that sales of flowers peak. (davaotoday.com photo by Medel V. Hernani)
SECOND-HAND. Outside the Tibungco Public Cemetery, second-hand stuffed toys and clothes compete with the daily sale of candles and flowers. (davaotoday.com photo by Medel V. Hernani)
MULTI-TASKING. A mother does babysitting and selling items at the same time at Tibungco Public Cemetery. (davaotoday.com photo by Medel V. Hernani)
MASS FOR THE SOULS. A booth is installed outside the Tibungco Public Cemetery to facilitate those who want to offer mass for their dead. Meanwhile, an old man plays harmonica to earn money. (davaotoday.com photo by Medel V. Hernani)
PAINTWORK. A young boy in Tibungco Public Cemetery offers to repaint the carved writings of a gravestone for a modest fee. (davaotoday.com photo by Medel V. Hernani)
TEMPORARY REST. Among the dead, this man rests for a moment after cleaning a number of tombs in Tibungco Public Cemetery. (davaotoday.com photo by Medel V. Hernani)
