30 families back ‘Pepang’ development

CEBU, Philippines -  At least 30 families with loved ones buried at the Roman Catholic Cemetery known popularly as Doña Pepang Cemetery in Barangay Tejero are supporting the move to develop the cemetery into a park.

The families made their stand known during a consultative meeting at the City Hall yesterday. Five families failed to attend the meeting but Mayor Michael Rama said 30 is good enough a number.

“So, we are all for the beautification… atong paninduton kay mao man dapat,” Rama said.

The families said they want the city government to spend for the beautification project, as well as the expenses that may be incurred if there will be a need to transfer the remains of their loved ones.

They want the remains to stay in the area and for the city to keep the mausoleums of their families.

The families also want to know the detailed plan for the project and timeline in implementation.

Rama said the concerns will be addressed and more consultative meetings with the families will be called to come up with a win-win solution.

Architect Socorro Atega who presented the developmental and architectural plan said the cemetery “needs development because of the sanitation problem, informal settlers, among others.” 

He told the families that there are structures that would be retained owing to their classic design and also because some families have asked that their mausoleums be retained.

Britta Borromeo-Navarro, daughter of the late Raul Borromeo, the right hand of Senator Serging Osmeña, told the city, “Okay ra maapil ang among mausoleum pero mas maayo unta kon dili. If maapil man gani, okay ra ibutang og columbary but mas maayo kon hatagan pod og historical value akong papa,” she said.

She said that she is agreeable with the developmental plan, considering that the area is no longer safe.

Marie Nillama, information officer of the Department of Public Works and Highways, attended on her family’s behalf and said they support the project, as long as the city “considers” the remains of her family members. At least 20 are buried in the cemetery.

“Okay raman gyod ko anang development because naanad man ta nga naa gyod affected if naay development. But akong concern kay bag-o ra nalubong ang akong brother last August and ang usa ka tiyo last year,” she said.

The cemetery was owned previously by the Archdiocese of Cebu, but was later swapped with a city-owned lot in Barangay Pasil.

The city government then entered an agreement with the Archdiocese of Cebu to convert the cemetery into a park.

Rama said he would prefer that the cemetery stop accommodating for now.

“Kon mahimo kay dili lang usa lubngan didto aron dili maglisod kay daghan na ang asikasohon, pero case to case basis ni siya kay maglisod man ta og arrange napod. Kon naay ikagasto nga i-transfer, mas maayo gyod,” he said.

IN ABSENTIA

Meanwhile, former mayor Tomas Osmeña who asked the court to stop the development failed to attend the meeting reportedly because he was not informed about it.

“I will accept the invitation that I did not get?” Osmeña told The Freeman.

He maintained that the city has no authority to demolish the tombs and the private mausoleum inside Doña Pepang, although Rama already said earlier that the Osmeña mausoleum will not be demolished.

The Osmeña Mausoleum is situated inside the cemetery that is why families of the late President Sergio Osmeña Sr. were invited to yesterday’s gathering.

Estefania Osmeña fondly called as Doña Pepang was the first wife of Don Sergio. When she was buried at the Osmeña mausoleum, people started referring to the cemetery with her name.

When he was still mayor in 2008, Osmeña sent a letter to then Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal J. Vidal requesting the latter to donate the cemetery lot so that the city can put up a park and make the area a tourist spot.

Asked why he’s stopping the development now, Osmeña said his intention at that time was only to improve the condition of the road leading to the cemetery from M.J. Cuenco Avenue and that it was never his plan to demolish the tombs there.

The Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor  called for the meeting so that families of those buried at the cemetery could air their sentiments over the development plan. — /JMO  (FREEMAN)