When a wake goes online

The family members huddled and kept their heads bowed. They spoke in hushed tones as they welcome friends and acquaintances of their dearly departed. The light from the chandelier of the chapel revealed tight-lipped smiles and reflected the sadness in the eyes of the people left behind.

A relative who lives in the United States was not able to clear his work schedule and cannot fly home to the Philippines to be with his loved ones in times of grief. Instead, he opened his computer and logged in to the website of a funeral service.

After a few clicks, the footage of the wake appears on his screen. And suddenly, distance died.

Thanks to technology, Filipinos in distant places can now attend – at least virtually – the wake of someone close to their heart.

Funeral companies have used technology to make this possible, proving that innovations do not only change the way people live but also the way they cope with death.

Such innovations include the eBurol and eLibing, both introduced by St. Peter Life Plan Inc., a pre-need death care company that claims to be supported by the largest network of memorial chapels in the country.

The eBurol, which was formulated by the creative minds of company employees, was launched in 2007.

Its name came from 'e' for electronic and 'burol,' a Filipino word for 'wake.' The idea behind the concept is similar to those of television reality shows.

Internet Protocol (IP) cameras are set-up in strategic areas inside the St. Peter chapels and are equipped with fast internet to enable live-streaming.

“The trend nowadays is in the Internet, we are already in the digital world so of course, we should also go with the flow. Or we pull ahead from the changes so that we can set the trend,” Mildred Vitangcol, president and chief executive officer of St. Peter Life Plan, Inc. told philstar.com in an interview.

Virtual family reunion

By simply logging in to the website www.stpeter.com.ph, relatives or acquaintances of the dead can set their passwords to ensure the confidentiality of the footage of the wake. They may give the passwords to other relatives who want to view the wake online.

The eLibing service, meanwhile, is an edited footage of the burial.

For those who have tried the eBurol service, the experience can be compared to a reunion with one’s family.

The service allowed families to talk to relatives abroad who rarely visit the country and share their fond memories of the deceased.

Majority of those who avail of the service are families of overseas Filipino workers but the online wake is also gaining support from those in faraway provinces.

Since its debut in 2007, the company has seen a rise in the number of clients who avail of online viewing.

“There are no extra charges. We offer it for free to all our clients. It's a value-added service,” Vitangcol said.

“The idea is to connect the family wherever they are.”

Not substitutes for physical presence

While the company has gained positive feedback from clients, it has also received complaints of technical glitches due to slow internet connection. 

Aside from connectivity issues, there are also problems concerning the compatibility of the video feed to the browsers of those who access it from the outside.

Vitangcol admitted that maintaining the service is not a simple task as the company has to organize everything from the wiring and logistics down to the technical nitty-gritty.

She, however, vowed to upgrade their equipment and to explore other innovative features to suit the needs of their clients.

“Some are trying to copy (our services) but it is not that easy to maintain. You have to have a fast internet access so that the livestreaming will not be choppy,” Vitangcol said.

Despite the warm reception obtained by eBurol and eLibing, Vitangcol clarified the services do not encourage one to skip the opportunity to be with people he cares about at a time of their grief.

“The objective is not to substitute the physical presence,” she said. — with Alexis Romero