BOLOR Et - Al FINAL THESIS 1

Saint Benilde International School (Calamba) Inc.
General Academic Strand 2
In a dark place alongside the dead, numerous families were scattered
and occupying the little spaces between niches and crypts. They may can
notice that some families inhabit someone else’s mausoleum just to have a
place to rest. Others are staying for sentimental reason. Others may find
comfort and happiness while living in cemetery. Lack of food and basic
needs is the main concern, plus the problem they faced when one of the
family gets sick. They still prefer the facilities in the cemeteries, even though
they are facing a lot of dilemmas. They do not need to find an expensive
place to live because they thought cemeteries are open for the people who
seek for home, and it’s for free.
As what most people know, some residence in cemeteries are epitaph
makers or “taga-gawa ng lapida”, one of the main sources of some people
living in there. In return for their staying, they are maintaining the cleanliness
of some crypts and niches. They are paid willingly by the deceased families
for their upkeep and services. They earn a lot when the day of the dead has
come, the All Souls’ Day. Others found extra income by putting up a sari-sari
store, selling candles and flowers for the relatives of the dead and working as
an employee in the cemetery.
In Calamba City, cemeteries are not just created to serve as a resting
place for the dead, but also for the living individuals. Poverty continue to
prevail in our town, and we can’t seek any ways to end it up.
By letting the poor people housed the cemetery, they are more likely
helping the graveyards’ environment to maintain the cleanliness,
voluntarily. Calambeños seemed to be fine and looking good in the
cemeteries. They show the toughness they have. It reminds everyone that
they have numerous works and decisions to do as a person, but what
everyone is wishing is a government who uplifts the poor.
Theoretical Framework
This research was anchored in the theory of social well-being. A higher
score that socially healthier people should not see society as unpleasant and
see themselves as important members. They should care about and feel safe
in the community, living a coherent life.
This study was also anchored in the theory of social change. A widely
deterministic theory is also an accepted theory of social change among
contemporary sociologists. According to this theory there are certain forces,
social, natural or both, which bring about social change.
Calamba’s partial population with over 500,000 is composed of
“Informal settlers”. A hundred of families made cemeteries as their
permanent home.
They prefer living in cemetery, to have a quiet and peaceful place to
live for the life they want and prevent themselves from city’s dangerous
blighted area. This research aims to spread awareness of the status of
people’s living inside the cemetery. It reveals the diversity and complexity of
the dead-living interaction.
Calamba City is also a populated city in Laguna. A quarter of over
400,000 residents estimated on 2015 were illegal tenants. Residents without
permanent shelter, found cemetery as a stable home.
Families who live in graveyards are seriously experiencing dilemmas
and facing a big challenge in their social life. This research will give the
readers an idea about the struggles of poor people living in the Necropolis. It
will be an advantage for the readers to know their story and how they end
up deciding to move in such place like cemeteries instead of a typical village
for poor. Lack of basic needs, electricity and water are some common
problems they used to experience. The thought of them sleeping above the
tombs is really disturbing, but for them, it is their only choice that would be
practical for a living. Many of blessed people in this country can see the
boundary between the dead and living individuals by means of interaction.

Statement of the Problem
The purpose of the study is to bring ideas about the struggles,
challenges and dilemmas faced by those people living with corpses.
The following questions were answered by this study:
1. How do the respondents describe their experiences in the cemetery?
2. How do they address the challenges encountered living in the
cemetery?
3. What output can be proposed to the study?

Scope and Delimitation
According to the Philippine News Agency, out of seventy-six (76)
informal settlers-families in Calamba City, only ten (10) respondents from
different families inside the cemetery will be used as a sample in conducting
a survey.
This study limits its coverage on the people living in the cemetery and
the main purpose is to identify the problems they encounter in living with the
dead.
This study considers the aspects of people’s personal information that
has an impact on their personal life such as the names of the family member,
their ages and what are their incomes. Each of the respondents will be asked
the same questions. This study focuses on the people with lived experience in
the Necropolis.
Significance of the Study
The result of the study will have a great benefit for the following:
Students. The result will provide students a knowledge about people living
inside the cemetery. Students may value the things they have now. They will
learn the struggles and challenges faced by the poor people who live
alongside the dead. It will give them a realization about not all people have
the same standard in living and how lucky they are for not experiencing the
struggles faced by the poor people living in the Necropolis.
Teachers. This study would serve as a guide to the teachers on what they can
do to help those people who are struggling and facing a challenging
problem in their lives as a residency of the cemetery.
Parents. Parents may be able to understand the standard of living of those
people inside the cemetery. They will also be aware about the status of the
family and the kids who are unfortunately experiencing dilemmas at their
very young age.
Future Researchers. They may use this study as a guide to set out another
information corresponds to the people who are living in the Necropolis. It
would help the student-researchers to be aware and knowledgeable about
the life of poor people. It would help them to be a better analyst and it can
be a help as a future reference for more studies in the future.

Government. This study will be a wake-up call to the officials of all the
governments in town. The people of Calamba City, Laguna will have the
benefit of living a comfortable life if the government just pay attention to
them and give them the help they should have.
Community. This study will help them informed the status of the people living
inside the cemetery. Community plays a vital role in the development of the
people and it will be a help to open up their minds and seek ways to end
difficulties and sufferings of those people, howsoever.

Definition of Terms
Cemetery – A place where the remains of dead people are buried or
otherwise interred.
Crypt – A burial spot, built to hold a casket in a concrete or stone chamber.
Complexity – The state or quality of being intricate or complicated. It’s a
factor involved in a complicated process or situation.
Corpse – A dead body, especially of a human being rather than an animal.
Dead – A person or animal that is no longer alive. Those who have died.
Dilemma – A situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between
two or more alternatives, especially equally undesirable ones.
Diversity – The fact of many different types of things or people being included
in something.
Graveyard – Smaller than a cemetery and is often associated with a church.
Informal Settler – Individuals that are Involved in relocation and resettlement
of families living in or along danger areas in Brgy. Lecheria in Calamba City,
particularly those along waterways such as creeks, rivers, and “esteros.”
Mausoleum – A building, especially a large and stately one, housing a tomb
or tombs.
Necropolis – A large cemetery, especially one of elaborate construction in
an ancient city or definitely an ancient cemetery.
Niche – A space in a columbarium
Poverty – A state or condition in which a person or community lacks the
financial resources and essentials for a minimum standard of living.

Chapter 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES
This chapter present the related literature and studies after the
thorough and in-depth search done by the researchers about the Lived
Experiences in the Necropolis. This will serve as the supporting system of the
study. It includes the common problems encountered by the poor people
living with the dead.
Related Literature
Local Studies
According to Adam Dean of The New York Times, An old woman,
Virginia Javier, 90, said “residents now locked the gates to their tombs, which
wasn’t the case several years ago.” She also said that, “Since Duterte
become president, every time there is a police raid here I go home to my
children, usually,” as she tended potted plants outside of the 10 mausoleum
she is paid to take care of. As dusk fell, many people advised an interpreter
and me to leave, saying it wasn’t safe to be walking around after dark.”
According to Al Jazeera (2018) 101 East meets the residents of Manila's
cemeteries who have built lives and communities among the city's dead.
“In the Philippines, public cemeteries are home to not only the dead
but to the living providing thousands of families with an escape from the
country's overcrowded slums. School classes are held inside a mausoleum,
kids are flying kites and playing basketball in between graves, and families
are sleeping on top of tombs and spending their days among the dead.
Despite the misgivings of local authorities, the communities in these
graveyards have flourished, creating a practical culture where mausoleums
double as homes and the dead are cared for and honored rather than
feared.”
Moreover, according to Lynzy Billing (2018) In the poorly serviced
capital of the Philippines, the poorest citizens have taken to living where no
one else will – alongside the dead in Manila, Some of these slums have
developed inside public cemeteries. People sleep in haphazard shanties built
on top of graves, or inside mausoleums. It’s free, but there are no basic
services such as sanitation, electricity and clean water, let alone adequate
shelter. Cemetery slums have existed here since the 1950s, and generations
of families now live in Manila North, the oldest and largest cemetery in the
city. An expansive 54 hectares (133 acres), it is home to an estimated 6,000
slum-dwellers from 800 families, as well as one million dead. Some of the
community are caretakers, paid by relatives of the dead to maintain the
graves; the fee can be as little as 600 pesos (£9) a year.

Other residents own makeshift stores or work as masons, carving
headstones for the 80-100 funerals that take place daily.
In addition, according to Rick Rocamora (2016) Living among the
dead for generations, For the Gerbuellas clan, five generations of their family
have been living at the Manila South Cemetery. Every year, they must
vacate their home so that people can pay respects for their dead. Every
year when families visits their dead in cemetery all over the Philippines, many
who are comfortably living among them for a day or two must vacate their
abode so that relatives can pay their respect for their dead. For
the Gerbuellas clan at Manila South Cemetery, 5 generations of their family
have been doing this once a year. The Gerbuellas, now headed
by Mang Dagul, who is the eldest of 5 siblings, along with their respective
children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, have called the Manila
South Cemetery their home. Scattered and occupying crypts and
mausoleum in the cemetery, the Gerbuellas have been living comfortably in
the cemetery, ever since their parents settled in the area. All the 5 siblings –
now with their own set of children, grandchildren and great grandchildren
plus their in-laws – live comfortably among the dead. Their main source of
income is preparing the crypts for the dead, and maintaining and cleaning
of old ones for families who are willing to pay a fee for their upkeep.
Despite the booming economy, reflected by the towering high rises of
offices and condominiums behind them, the generations of Gerbuellas living
at Manila South Cemetery is a reminder to all of us that we have more work
to do as a people and government to uplift the plight of our poor.
Also, according to Karen Lema (2017) In Philippines, the living share
space with the dead, a visit to Manila North Cemetery raises serious questions
about government boasts that the economy is ready for take-off. The
squatters try to make a living by painting and cleaning gravestones and
tombs.
Others, like Bernardino’s husband and children, have found work
outside the cemetery in casual labor. Small children run through the rock-
filled lanes in bare feet, their faces and thin bodies covered with dirt. “They
already know that they should not make homes out of cemeteries,” said Dr.
Eduardo Serrano, head of the Manila Health Department’s preventable
diseases division. “It’s dangerous to their health. The problem is they are being
asked to leave but they keep on coming back,” he said. The country’s
housing shortage is expected to worsen as the population continues to grow
to a projected 142 million by 2040. The high birth rate is tied to the strong
influence of the Catholic Church, which frowns on the use of contraceptives
such as condoms and birth-control pills.

Coupled with Shirin Bhandari (2017) Manila is the most densely
populated city in the world. Close to a quarter of its 13 million residents are
illegal tenants. The Manila North Cemetery houses over a million of the dead
as well as thousands of the living, mostly the city’s poorest. The Manila North
Cemetery is a fully functioning city. There is a method to the madness. People
build relationships and create families within its four walls. It has a thriving
economy. Illegal wires tap into the main electrical supply and power the
homes here. Each week, unauthorized connections are taken down, and in
an endless cycle, the residents find a way to access an open source of
power again. Water is bought in plastic containers filled from a deep well
inside the premises.
The cemetery is owned by the city and was laid out in 1904 on 130
acres of land, making it the largest and one of the oldest in the Philippines.
The mausoleums range from simple painted tombs to complex and ornate
reliefs and carvings
Similar to Becky Pemberton (2016) 'The Beverly Hills of the dead': The
cemetery where mourning relatives live ALONGSIDE the dead in tombs with
bedrooms, kitchens and air-conditioning. There is a cemetery in the
Philippines where people not only visit the dead buried there, but also live
alongside them.
The Chinese Cemetery of Manila features a community of spectacular
mansion-like tombs that are equipped with everything from kitchens to air-
conditioning and bedrooms to running water - so relatives can be near to
their deceased at all times. Many of these tombs are as large as regular
house - some even bigger - and while some family members spend a few
days visiting, there are those who have made the cemetery their permanent
address.
Foreign Literature
However, according to Sahar Zand (2017) Living with the Dead, “Most
of us don't like to think or talk about death, but there are some people who
do. In the Toraja region of Sulawesi, in Indonesia, the dead are a constant
part of day-to-day life.”
Along with Lauren Clark (2019) Death Ritual. How one million tribe keep
their dead relatives at home, feeding and cuddling their rotten body.
The Toraja, people of Indonesia often do not bury their deceased loved ones
for years – for decades. “In a mountainous area of Indonesia,
the Toraja people mummify the bodies of the deceased and care for their
preserved bodies as though they are still living.

There are around one million Torajan people, most of whom live in the
South Sulawesi region, who believe that after death the soul remains in the
house so the dead are treated to food, clothing, water, cigarettes.
Their skin and flesh are preserved from decaying and rotting - which
begins within days of death - by a coating of a chemical solution called
formalin, which is a mixture of formaldehyde and water. The stench is strong,
so the family will store lots of dried plants beside the body to mask the odor.
As well as Chantal Da Silva (2017) living with the dead: The Indonesian
village treating relatives' corpses as if they’re alive, In most cultures the dead
are buried or cremated within days of passing away, but
Indonesia's Torajan people keep the bodies of their relatives to "live" at home
with them, sometimes for years after their deaths. Providing corpses with their
own rooms, they are washed and their clothes are regularly changed. Food
and cigarettes are brought to them twice a day and they have a bowl in the
corner that acts as their "toilet". The bodies of the dead are injected with a
preservative called Formulin, which stops the bodies from decomposing. The
tradition for the million plus Toraja community dates back centuries. With
animist beliefs - the doctrine that every natural thing in the universe has a soul
- the line between this world and the next world is blurred.
Even after a funeral ceremony is completed, the physical relationship
between the dead and the living still continues through a ritual
called ma'nene, or the “cleaning of the corpses.” The ritual involves digging
up the coffins of dead loved ones every couple of years and grooming and
cleaning them. Then, family members typically pose with their deceased
relatives for fresh family portraits.
Additionally, according to Tamara Jayne (2019) This Group of
Indonesians Hold, Feed, And Live with Dead Bodies of Their Relatives, one
million people in Indonesia practice this tradition, which dates back to
several centuries.
The ethnic group, consisting of one million people, believe that the soul
of a person remains near the body even after death and that a well-
preserved body brings them good fortune. After someone passes away, the
families go through great efforts to care for them by providing them with
food, clothing, water, and even a bowl to use as a "toilet." To remove the
stench of decaying odors, the bodies are mummified and special leaves and
herbs are rubbed onto them.
A chemical solution called formalin is coated onto the corpses to
preserve the flesh and skin from rotting, the bodies are then wrapped in
blankets and live in the homes until their funerals – which can often take
place months or decades later.

Besides, Joel Stice (2019) the Living Dead:
How Toraja People Of Indonesia Honor Their
Deceased, Indonesia's Toraja people keep their dead relatives in their homes,
treating them as if they were alive until they can be given expensive,
elaborate funerals. While death is typically treated with a joyless outlook in
Western culture, the complete opposite is true for Indonesia's Toraja people.
For them, death is not something to dread and avoid, but a central part of
living that involves honoring the deceased with the utmost care to aid their
passage into the afterlife. Funerals are major celebrations that take years of
preparation. In the meantime, the dead bodies remain in their family homes.
Their loved ones change their clothes, give them food and water daily, and
swat the flies off their rotting skin. It wouldn't be an overstatement to say that
death is the central concern for the Toraja people and that funerals take
precedence over nearly every other familial event. When a family member
dies, he or she is still cared for until a funeral can be given, often for weeks or
even years after death.
As stated by Tommy Trenchard and
Aurelie Marrier D’unienville (2019) the dead live with their loved ones on this
Indonesian Island. Toraja country stretches for hundreds of miles across the
mountainous interior of Sulawesi, a land of verdant hills and scattered villages
connected by a network of dirt tracks that wind their way through lush rice
paddies and patches of thick forest. It is an enclave of Christianity in a

predominantly Muslim country, although traditional beliefs remain prevalent.
Especially when it comes to death. Throughout most of the world, death is a
topic that generally inspires dread. It marks the sudden and irreversible
rupture of a person from their loved ones. Even if one believes in an afterlife,
the immediate severing of the connection between the dead and the living
is absolute.
When anthropomorphized in popular culture, death is often depicted
as a malevolent entity, the sinister black-cloaked figure clutching a scythe.
Lastly, according to Veronica Elankovan (28 February 2019) 4 things
you should know about this Indonesian tribe that lives with their dead
relatives. Normally in many cultures, a funeral will be conducted in order to
mourn the passing of our relatives but this particular tribe in South Sulawesi,
Indonesia does it a little bit differently. Toraja people actually mummify (not
the Egyptian way) their dead relatives until they are financially and
emotionally ready to give them a lavish funeral which could be organized in
months, years or even decades.
(1) Mummifying and preserving the dead. After a member of their tribe
takes their last breath, Torajans will carefully coat the skin and flesh of the
deceased with formalin, a chemical solution made from formaldehyde and
water, wrote The Sun. To mask the strong stench of dead bodies, they would
store dried plants near it. The dead bodies will then be kept in a room of their
house or in “wealthier homes” like the traditional Torajan ‘ancestral’ house
(tongkonan). (2) They call the dead “toma kula” which means “the sick”.
They also believe that the souls of their dead relatives don’t actually leave
the human world. In fact, they call their dead relatives “toma kula”, which
means a sick person, until the funeral takes place. (3) The “rambu solo”
ceremony aka the funeral. Once they are ready to let go of their deceased
relatives, a grand funeral which normally costs more than USD 50,000 (approx.
RM 200,000) will be held. BBC wrote that their funerals are a celebration
compared to sombre ones which we usually have. Their funerals are
complete with Christian customs because Torajans are predominantly
protestant Christians. That said, some of them are Catholic Christians due to
the influence of Dutch colonial missionaries in the region. (4) The “ma’nene” –
the cleansing of the corpses. After the “rambu solo” ceremony, their clan will
gather again every one to three years for another ritual called the
“ma’nene”. During “ma’nene”, corpses will be taken out of their respective
coffins and cleaned. FYI, “ma’nene” is also known as “cleansing of the
corpses”.
They will be given a new set of clothes and relatives from everywhere in
the world will gather for a reunion. According to BBC, friends and families of
the dead will offer food and cigarettes to their dead relatives.
Synthesis
Manila, Philippines is the most densely populated city in the world. Most
of the cemeteries there are known to the people. Commonly, famous
celebrities or even great leaders of the country are buried there.
Manila North Cemetery is one of the known cemeteries, not just in
Manila but to the whole country. Many people believe that graveyards are
not just for the resting souls of the dead, it is also housed by the living. A lot of
people in the world are homeless, due to lack of finances. They can’t even
afford a house to live nor an apartment to rent, so they choose to live in the
cemetery. In exchange for their staying, they help the environment’s
cleanliness. They even look for a job or sideline in order for them to survive life.
Some works as masons or carving headstones, or caretakers of the tomb and
paid by the relatives of the dead to maintain it.
There are people who choose to live next to their deceased relatives,
not because they want it, but owing the fact that it is part of their beliefs. In
the mountainous region of South Sulawesi, Indonesia, there is an ethnic group
called Torajans. They believe that the dead are part of day-to-day life. They
do not bury their deceased loved one for years or even decades. Torajans
mummify the bodies of the deceased and taking care of it by preserving the
bodies as if they are still alive.

In the case of Barangay Lecheria in Calamba City, Laguna, there were
no circumstances of people, living and preserving the bodies of their loved
ones. Graveyards are the right place to rest the body of the dead. There
were just a lot of incident reports that mostly poor families living inside the
cemetery.
Just as the case in Manila, people in Calamba City, housed the place
of the dead and they also believe that cemeteries are not just for death
people. Mostly, these cases are relevant to the issue of Poverty. Due to lack
of financial support, family with jobless parents, thought of living the cemetery
is their only option, since it is free, and in that place, they make a way for
them to support the basic needs of their family.

Chapter 3
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter represents the description of the research methodology
including research design, population and sampling data, research
instrument, data-gathering procedure, ethical considerations and treatment
of the data.
Research Design
The study utilized the qualitative research with phenomenology as
approach. This approach is used when a researcher is “interested in
uncovering the meaning of a phenomenon for those involved” (Merriam,
2012). This strand of research is discovery-oriented and the findings are not
predetermined because variables will not be manipulated; instead, it is
emergent in design. Research questions at the onset, as well as data
collection procedures or protocols may change along the way depending
on what ongoing data collection and inductive data analysis reveal
(Creswell, 2014). Qualitative research is also characterized by collection of
data through prolonged contact with a life situation in natural settings by the
researchers, who was the key instrument in gathering multiple sources of
data, conducting inductive data analysis, and writing a holistic or rich

account of the participants’ meanings of the phenomenon under study
(Merriam, 2013).
Population and Sampling
The study used the purposeful random sampling for the selection of the
respondents for the study. As stated by Clemente, Julaton, and Orleans
(2016), this was the most appropriate sampling for the study since this looked
at a random sample and adds credibility to a sample when the potential
sample is larger than one can handle. While this is a type of sampling that
uses small sample sizes, its goal is to increase credibility, not to encourage
representativeness or the ability to generalize. The researchers decided to
select ten (10) respondents from different families from Barangay. Lecheria,
Calamba City who were able to expound on their experiences.
Data-Gathering Procedure
Before the conduct of the survey, the researchers obtained permission
from the research adviser. Thereafter, upon the approval of the research
adviser, a formal letter was sent to the concerned person. Personal interviews
were conducted during the time and date agreed upon. The result of the
interview is recorded, transcribed and analyzed. Themes were generated out
of the interviews conducted.

Instrumentation
In gathering pertinent information, the researchers used four (4) guide
questions which in turn were used as interview questions for the respondents.
Using the said instrument, the researchers personally approached the ten (10)
respondents from different families and explained the endeavor of his inquiry
and the purpose of the interview. The interview started and completed on
January 31, 2020.
Ethical Considerations
The researchers followed ethical guidelines as specified in the rules of
the school. Ethical considerations were taken into account throughout the
study. The respondents of the study participated voluntarily. The researchers
asked the consent of the participants and explained to them the importance
of the objective of the study. The data and the information gathered were
kept in confidential. The works of other researchers and authors were properly
organized.
Chapter 4
PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA
This chapter presents the analysis and interpretation made by the researchers
on the data gathered from the co-researchers
Interview Question #1: What makes them think to live in a place full of dead?
Matrix 1
Annotated exemplar on the responses made by the co-researchers on the
question number 1.
CO-RESEARCHER RESPONSE RESEARCHER’S
OBSERVATION
“Ay hindi ko rin po Co-researcher 1
masasabi…Iyong bahay po answered calmly, but

Respondent 1
talaga namin yung sa kabila seems a bit shy when
po kaso po binenta ng sharing experiences.
magulang ko kaya
nangungupahan lang po
kami dito.”
“Ano, kumbaga wala naman Co-researcher 2 was
kaming pagpipilian na lugar very confident in

Respondent 2
na iba eh. Wala naman answering and able to
kaming pera pambili ng share life experiences
lupa, kaya ayun dito kami in living in the
nakatira…kasi yung cemetery.
magulang namin noon
magbubukid lang, eh wala
na sila kaya kaming mga
anak naiwan dito, dumating
kami dito dalawang taon pa
lang ako.”
“Eh dito na talaga kami, dito Co-researcher 3
na ko isinilang. Ito na yung answered the question,

Respondent 3
kinagisnan namin. Hindi well.
namin piniling dito talaga
tumira.”
“Eh dito bahay ng nanay ko Co-researcher 4 seems
eh.” scared while answering

Respondent 4
the question, because
she thought the
questions were difficult.
“Wala na kaming Co-researcher 5
mapuntahan eh…wala lang, willingly helped us to

Respondent 5
wala nang mapuntahan. finish our survey, and
Ano kami, mula 1986 nandito present herself to
na kami.” answer our interview.
“Wala, dito na ko Co-researcher 6 sight
lumaki…dito na talaga kami evidences since she

Respondent 6
nakatira.” has a lot of
experiences to prove
that their situation isn’t
that easy back then.
“Dito kami napadpad eh. Co-researcher 7 seems
Dati kaming taga-Nueva shy at first, she

Respondent 7
Ecija, nagtatrabaho yung answered, comfortably
mga anak ko. Dito sila after then. She also
nagtatrabaho kaya dito able to share some
kami nakatira.” thoughts and

experiences.
“Kasi nandito yung Co-researcher 8 seems
sinasamba namin si Rizal, kasi fine and very open to

Respondent 8
Rizalista kami.” us when we
approached him, since
his daughter has also
done researches.
“Di ko alam kasi pagpunta Co-researcher 9 looks
namin dito, dito na kami bubbly at answering

Respondent 9
deretso ng mga magulang our questions. She
ko eh [hahahaha]…” answers fast and
straight to the point,
based on her
experiences.
“Hindi naman ako taga-dito, Co-researcher 10 was
taga-Quezon ako. Yung sick but still able to help

Respondent 10
asawa ko taga-rito.” us and answered our
question.
Interview Question #2: What are the things they like about living in a
cemetery?
Matrix 2
question number 2.
OBERSEVATION
“Masayang mga tao po. Co-researcher 1 was
Masaya po kami dito.” not able to sight her full

Respondent 1
experience.
“Ayun, malapit lang dito sa Co-researcher 2
palengke, sa school tsaka showed enthusiasm on

Respondent 2
ayan na rin ang tubig. the way she answered
Masaya naman kahit na the question.
ganito. Dati kasi nagsusunog
ng sementeryo eh ngayon
hindi na.”
“Tahimik rin, malayo sa Co-researcher 3

Respondent 3 kalsadang ano…kumbaga answered the question
dito lang kami sa kubkuban well, but didn’t narrate
na to.” her other experiences.
“Mga tao, Co-researcher 4 seems
mababait…nanay ko, ayun so comfortable and

Respondent 4
talaga.” answer the question,
confidently.
“Komportable, may Co-researcher 5
kuryente, may tubig. Sa mga answer the question,

Respondent 5
tao, ayos lang.” joyfully.
“Kasundo yung mga tao.” Co-researcher 6
answered the
Respondent 6
questions, calmly with
confidence.
“Wala naman, okay lang, Co-researcher 7 seems
masaya naman.” very shy at answering

Respondent 7
the questions.
“Kasi sabi nila dati, mag Co-researcher 8
eend of the world na, kaya discussed to us his life

Respondent 8
kami pumunta dito kasi ang experiences and gave
sinasamba naming si Jose us more information.
Rizal.”
“Ano naman, matahimik Co-researcher 9 looks
naman siya, kahit tabi ng so shy but still answered

Respondent 9
sementeryo, ayos naman.” the question.
“Kasi nandito na ang asawa Co-researcher 10
ko, dito na sila nakatira, edi seems a loving person

Respondent 10
parang ganun na rin ako.” because she answers
the question, with
connection to his
husband.
Interview Question #3: What are the common challenges they encounter
while living in the cemetery?
Matrix 3
question number 3.
OBSERVATION
“Ano, sa pagkain po Co-researcher 1 looks
minsan…lalo na sa baby ko, downhearted because

Respondent 1
eh wala naman akong she was telling
trabaho, mama ko lang something about their
kasama ko dito sa bahay.” struggles with her baby.
“Pag wala kang trabaho, Co-researcher 2 sight
wala kang pera pangkain, her answers clearly.

Respondent 2
pambili ng kung ano- She’s not that shy to
ano…tsaka pagka tapos na answer the question.
pabantayan yung nitso, wala
nang wala pagkakahanap

buhayan na iba.”
“Minsan magulo, pag araw Co-researcher 3 seems
ng mga patay…maraming irritated while sighting

Respondent 3
tao sa sementeryo, her thoughts and
maingay.” experiences.
“wala naman, maiingay lang Co-researcher 4
mga tao, mga answered the question

Respondent 4
nangungutang [hahaha]…” without any hesitation
because that’s what
really they felt.
“Pag walang trabaho, Co-researcher 5 tell us
walang pera.” their story about their

Respondent 5
struggles before.
“Pag may kine-cremate, Co-researcher 6 shares
umuusok ng malakas, pero life experiences to us.

Respondent 6
ngayon hindi na kasi may
harang na siya. Dati kasi live
yan, kitang kitang ang mga
ano…kasi wala pa tong
pader, ngayon okay naman

na.”
“Minsan walang pera, minsan Co-researcher 7 was a
magulo, maingay lang. Yan bit shy but still share to

Respondent 7
katulad nan, [nagvi-videoke] us some past events
ganyan, sa gabi maingay.” that happened before.
“Kagaya ng mga Co-researcher 8 is a
magnanakaw, tapos mga Rizalista and seems

Respondent 8
landslide jan sa taas, tapos proud to share what
yung mga tsismosa they believe.
[hahaha]…maraming dayo
na hindi masyadong kilala
dito.”
“Wala naman, kasi Co-researcher 9 was
nagkatubig na kami. Dati very willing to share us

Respondent 9
poso lang kami, tapos ano some life experiences.
may nag ano na
samin…Nawasa. Ayos lang
rin naman mga kapit-bahay
naming [hehehe].”
“Nung una natatakot, Co-researcher 10 was

Respondent 10 syempre sementeryo. Wag ka able to answer our
matakot sa patay, matakot question, even if her
ka sa buhay [hahaha]…ayun condition isn’t good.
lang”
Interview Question #4: How they manage to live in a place full of dead?
Matrix 4
question number 4.
OBSERVATION
“Okay na kami na dito kami Co-researcher 1
nakatira, nasanay na, hindi answered the question

Respondent 1
kami natatakot kasi dito na calm and well, but I
rin naman kami pinanganak, could see through her
dito na rin kami lumaki. eyes the sadness they
Normal na samin ang lugar were going through.
na to.”
“Ano lang, sanayan na rin. Co-researcher 2
Pinagkakahanap-buhayan answered the question,

Respondent 2
na rin namin. Naglilinis ng confidently and always
sementeryo. Dati nung share her life
malakas-lakas pa ko, may experience while living
inaalagaan akong in the cemetery.
ano…yung may patay jan,
sakin yung pintura, sakin yung
linis, binabantayan ko.
Binibigay sakin kada isang
taon 1,500…kasi ano lang
naman yon, wawalisan para
hindi madumihan ganun.”
“…tiyagaan na lang talaga Co-researcher 3
kasi eto kapag nakaraos, answered the question

Respondent 3
nakapagtapos ka ng anak, gladly, and showed
sa iba naman, makaano perseverance.
kami…makakalipat ng
maganda gandang bahay.”
“Sakto lang, hindi naman Co-researcher 4 was
kami apektado ng mga just repeating her

Respondent 4 patay eh…di naman kami answers.
naaapektuhan ng mga
patay dito kaya okay lang.”
“Wala naman problema, sa Co-researcher 5 was
sementeryo…wag lang ako very funny. She was

Respondent 5
lalakad ng hating-gabi telling stories and
[hahaha]…maganda naman adding jokes to it.
ang paligid.”
“Ano, hindi…wala namang Co-researcher 6 seems
mga nang aano eh, kasi very serious in

Respondent 6
magkakasundo na rin answering the
naman. Ang problema lang question.
pag nawawalan ng tubig,
walang pa-abiso.”
“Wala ganun lang din, wala Co-researcher 7 has a
naman kaming problema. low voice, and it seems

Respondent 7
Sabayan lang hard for us to
understand what she
was saying.
“Kasi dito tahimik at wala Co-researcher 8 wasn’t

Respondent 8 masyadong kwan…tao, kasi shy in telling us about
ang tao dito taga-Isabela his life experiences.
lang rin lahat, sanayan lang
rin.”
“Wala naman, okay lang Co-researcher 9 has
naman, sanayan lang. Bata struggles in

Respondent 9
pa kami nun nung pumunta understanding the last
kami dito eh. Nung una takot question and we kept
kami, tapos nung ano na, repeating it to her.
yun, okay lang kahit nasa
ibabaw na kami ng nitso.”
“Wala nang pagpipilian, Co-researcher 10 was
sanay sanay lang din.” struggling in

Respondent 10
understanding what
we are saying due to
her condition but still
able to give answer.

Chapter 5
CONSOLIDATED FINDINGS, REFLECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This chapter presents the summary of the study pointing out the
important findings with its reflections and recommendations.
Consolidated Findings and Conclusions
On the phenomenological study on the lived experiences of the ten
(10) respondents from different families in Brgy. Lecheria, Calamba City as to
showing perseverance in living their lives inside the Necropolis. They able to
share life experiences while living in the cemetery with their families.
Based on the gathered information, people living in the cemetery has
similarities on how they manage their life while living there. Being used to it is
their only way to survive life. Happiness is still shown in their faces even though
they are struggling and facing a lot of challenges. The struggles of having a
baby while they are still surviving life as an adult is very disturbing. They are
unable to provide the right needs of the baby such as milk, diapers or even
tidy clothes due to lack of money.

In addition of living in the cemetery, they also found a job for
themselves. The money they once earned for cleaning crypts and taking
care of niches is just enough for a day and not for a lifetime expense.
It is fortunate if they are given large amount of money as their profit for
working in the cemetery to be able to buy the other needs of the member of
each family.
Each respondent has their own way of living the life just to survive. They
already found comfort and happiness. They are no longer afraid of living
near the niches because they are used to it. Cemeteries became part of
their life, it was normal for them to see niches without fear because inside it
was a dead person. Even the kids, who are brave enough to play on top of
some niches. It does not matter to them what it is, as long as they are
enjoying. They thought graveyards are not just for dead, but also for the
living.
Recommendations
Based on the findings and data gathered, this study also provides these
recommendations:
 Students must be aware of the conditions of these people in the
cemetery. They can offer a help or take an actions to give food or
clothes. Besides, student leaders in some schools or universities can
take actions in helping these people, voluntarily. They can make
donations for money or stuffs to help the people to survive life. Also,
students can also provide learnings for the children in the cemetery.
They can teach them basic lessons and knowledge about the things
they don’t know.
 Families living in the cemetery should be aware of what can happen
around them. They must assure that their area is not prone on some
troubles and commotions, to avoid problems. As well as people in the
cemetery should also seek for a job. They should ask government
officers to help them find a stable job in order for them to provide the
needs of their family.

 Government must be aware of the situation of every people living in
the cemetery. They should make an action on helping the poor people
to survive life. Furthermore, the city government should use money for
special purposes. They should spend money in activities that is
beneficial to these people, in order to improve the quality of life. Also,
the government must be concerned about the health of people in the
cemetery. These people are prone to diseases. They should give
vitamins for the new born children and toddlers to avoid diseases.
REFERENCES
[1] Adam, D. (2017) The New York Times: hard life among the dead in the
Philippines
[2] Becky, P. (2016) The Beverly Hills of Dead: The cemetery where mourning
relatives live alongside the dead in tombs with bedrooms, kitchen and air-
conditioning, p. 94 Research, Vol. 7, No. 1
[3] Chantal, D.S. (2017) Living with the Dead: The Indonesian Village treating
relative corpses as if they’re alive
[4] Isumi, S. & James, F. (2017) The University of Arizona Press: Living with the
Dead in the Andes
[5] Joel, S. (2019) The Living Dead: How the Toraja people of Indonesia honor
their deceased
[6] Joyce, L., Zyra Marie, L., Fe Laurine, L., Abigail, M., James Louies U.,
Reynaldo, I. & Rebecca Leslie, C. (2018) Living with the Dead: A Qualitative
Study on the social well-being of Filipino families living in the cemeteries in
Cebu City.
[7] Karen, L. (2017) In the Philippines, the living share space with the dead
[8] Lauren, C. (2017) Death Ritual: How a million strong tribe keep their dead
relatives at home
[9] Lynzy, B. (2018) Graveyard Living: Inside the cemetery slums of Manila
[10] Rick, R. (2016) Living among the dead for generations
[11] Sahar, Z. (2017) Living with the Dead
[12] Saul, P. (2018) Calamba informal settlers up to resettlement
[13] Shirin, B. (2017) Living among the dead
[14] Tamara, J. (2019) This group of Indonesians hold, feed and live with dead
bodies of their relatives
[15] Tommy, T. & Aurelie Marrier, D. (2019) (Photos) The dead live with their
loved ones on this Indonesian Island
[16] Veronica, F. (2019) 4 Things you should know about this Indonesian Tribe
that lives with their dead relatives.

APPENDICES
APPENDIX A
August 31, 2019
Dear Respondents,
The researchers are presently conducting a research entitled “Lived
Experiences in the Necropolis: A Case of Barangay Lecheria, Calamba City,
Laguna.”
In line with this, the research are requesting for your permission to become
part of our research. We will be expecting for your pleasant cooperation in
responding the given interview question. Thank you.
The Researchers
Alarcon, Marco
Barcena, John Mark
Bantogon, Ashley Nicole
Bolor, Angela Mae
Dela Cruz, Mikaella Diane

APPENDIX B
Interview Questions
1) What makes them think to live in a place full of dead?
2) What are the things they like about living in a cemetery?
3) What are the common challenges they encounter while living in the
cemetery?
4) How they manage to live in a place full of dead?

BOLOR Et - Al FINAL THESIS 1

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Saint Benilde International School (Calamba) Inc.

General Academic Strand 2

In a dark place alongside the dead, numerous families were scattered

seek for home, and it’s for free.

As what most people know, some residence in cemeteries are epitaph

makers or “taga-gawa ng lapida”, one of the main sources of some people

an employee in the cemetery.

In Calamba City, cemeteries are not just created to serve as a resting

General Academic Strand 3

helping the graveyards’ environment to maintain the cleanliness,

voluntarily. Calambeños seemed to be fine and looking good in the

they have numerous works and decisions to do as a person, but what

everyone is wishing is a government who uplifts the poor.

This research was anchored in the theory of social well-being. A higher

in the community, living a coherent life.

deterministic theory is also an accepted theory of social change among

contemporary sociologists. According to this theory there are certain forces,

social, natural or both, which bring about social change.

Calamba’s partial population with over 500,000 is composed of

“Informal settlers”. A hundred of families made cemeteries as their

General Academic Strand 4

They prefer living in cemetery, to have a quiet and peaceful place to

blighted area. This research aims to spread awareness of the status of

the dead-living interaction.

Calamba City is also a populated city in Laguna. A quarter of over

400,000 residents estimated on 2015 were illegal tenants. Residents without

permanent shelter, found cemetery as a stable home.

Families who live in graveyards are seriously experiencing dilemmas

up deciding to move in such place like cemeteries instead of a typical village

boundary between the dead and living individuals by means of interaction.

General Academic Strand 5

Statement of the Problem

The purpose of the study is to bring ideas about the struggles,

challenges and dilemmas faced by those people living with corpses.

The following questions were answered by this study:

1. How do the respondents describe their experiences in the cemetery?

2. How do they address the challenges encountered living in the

3. What output can be proposed to the study?

General Academic Strand 6

Scope and Delimitation

According to the Philippine News Agency, out of seventy-six (76)

informal settlers-families in Calamba City, only ten (10) respondents from

different families inside the cemetery will be used as a sample in conducting

This study considers the aspects of people’s personal information that

General Academic Strand 7

Significance of the Study

struggles faced by the poor people living in the Necropolis.

do to help those people who are struggling and facing a challenging

problem in their lives as a residency of the cemetery.

Parents. Parents may be able to understand the standard of living of those

very young age.

information corresponds to the people who are living in the Necropolis. It

would help the student-researchers to be aware and knowledgeable about

be a help as a future reference for more studies in the future.

General Academic Strand 8

benefit of living a comfortable life if the government just pay attention to

them and give them the help they should have.

difficulties and sufferings of those people, howsoever.

General Academic Strand 9

Cemetery – A place where the remains of dead people are buried or

Crypt – A burial spot, built to hold a casket in a concrete or stone chamber.

Complexity – The state or quality of being intricate or complicated. It’s a