Private memorial park to rise in Compostela

CEBU, Philippines — It’s all systems go for the development of the first and one of a kind private memorial park in the northern town of Compostela.

Celestial Meadows Compostela, located in barangay Cogon, recently broke ground with the town officials and leaders from its developer and partner.

Compostela Mayor Joel Quino said he took pride in having Celestial Meadows, as this will put the town of Compostela at the pedestal.

Town constituents and neighbor localities don't have to go to the big cities to avail of the private memorial parks for their departed loved ones.

“We are lucky since Celestial Meadows will be a unique project, the developer assured it will be a project Compostela can own as its pride,” Quino said.

Vice Mayor Josephine Abing said the project will also provide a source of income not only to those who will be hired in the construction but also the “smaller economies” within the project area.

“We expect there will be movements in terms of additional income for residents here, there will even be tourists and investors,” Abing said.

She said the memorial project was well researched and planned as its design will depict the journey of St. James the Great/ San Santiago, the town’s patron saint.

Indeed, Ammabelle Canedo D’Souza, chief executive officer of Celestial Meadows Developers Corporation (CMDC) mentioned the project as a flagship program with incorporated insights and learnings all through the years.

“Inspired by his story, we conceptualized the park according to the Camino de Santiago or the Way of St. James.  Pilgrims have tried to retrace the steps of the beloved saint through different trail routes. One of the famous route is Via de Plata or Silver Route, wherein we selected for Celestial Meadows’  1 km walk of reflection and prayer,” Canedo said.

The park she said is tastefully designed in theme embedding sustainable engineering planning and design which takes into account proper resource utilization such as re-use of water run-off, solar powered lamps, lush greeneries with tree-lined roads, two entrances and more.

CMDC pioneers private memorial park at the countryside with four other projects in Minglanilla, Naga City, Toledo City and Moalboal since 2000.

This is also the first project under the newly joined conglomerates Norkis Group of Companies  (Norkis) and Canedo Equity Ventures Inc (CEV).

CMDC is a CEV company.

Also present were CEV officials led by chairman Filomena  Selma-Canedo and Group Manager Head Eric Borja and Atty Pet Caballero of Norkis.

The project will be sprawled over 4.8 hectares, first phase covers over a hectare.  Its inventories include lawn lots regular, premium, special and extra special; garden special and extra special.