Monthly Archives: September 2020

Manila Memorial Park (Paranaque City, Metro Manila)

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Manila Memorial Park and its iconic landmark – the Meditation Tower

Due to the COVID 19 imposed social distancing requirement, all memorial parks and cemeteries were slated to be closed from October 29 to November 3.  All Saints’ Day was still a month away but I now decided to make an early visit to the 142-hectare Manila Memorial Park (MMP) where my parents, father-in-law, paternal grandparents and two of my first cousins are buried.

This would be my second travel outside our subdivision since the lockdown started six month ago and the first time with me driving.  Bringing along my son Jandy, I also experienced my first traffic gridlock since the lockdown, with heavy traffic around the City Hall area.

Jandy beside the plot of his grandparents who are buried in a lawn lot (only underground burials allowed), double tierred (you may inter two fresh bodies underground) contained in sealed concrete vaults. Interments are marked with flat markers (lapidas) of uniform size and make

The Manila Memorial Park (MMP) was established in 1964 when Parañaque, now a city and a part of Metro Manila, was still a municipality of Rizal province. The first company to introduce the memorial park concept in the Philippines, in the past, the Filipino idea of burial was to place dead bodies inside protruding stone tombs. Manila Memorial Park changed all that with the introduction of the Western concept of lawn burials where the dead are buried in a lawn setting of open, manicured and green fields, with trees and garden in the perimeter, and with the grave markers on top.

Now the largest memorial park developer in the country (with a total of 427 hectares, 242 of which are fully developed), the flagship cemetery became part of a larger network of burial sites of Manila Memorial Park, Inc. with five other beautifully-maintained memorial parks, under the Manila Memorial Park brand, opened in other parts of the Philippines with three (aside from MMP) in Luzon (MMP – Holy Cross in Novaliches in Quezon City; the 128-hectare MMP – Dasmariñas in Cavite, opened November 1991; the 45-hectare MMP-Bulacan in Plaridel, opened June 1998) one in the Cebu (the 40-hectare MMP – Cebu) in the Visayas and one in Davao City (MMP – Davao) in Mindanao.

Double niche measuring 4 m. x 4.88 m. (19.52 sq. m.) with 8 single tiered underground burials and 2 above ground niches (optional), a total of 10 burials spaces.

After Pope John Paul II lifted the ban on cremation for Catholics in 1983, MMP built a crematorium in August 1985, becoming the first cemetery to host a modern crematorium in a memorial park setting.

Columbarium

Currently, Manila Memorial Park operates four sets of crematories, one in its Sucat Park, the second in Holy Cross in Novaliches, Quezon City., the third in Dasmariñas in Cavite, and the fourth in its Bulacan park.

Administration and Information Center

For the sake of convenience (not to mention sparing the city’s already traffic-prone streets from even worse traffic), wakes can be held at 3 venues all set amidst the Park’s signature lush greenery – the park’s old main chapel and two spacious, clean and modern air-conditioned branches of popular funeral homes in the metropolis.

Funeraria Paz

In 2001, MMP partnered with La Funeraria Paz & the House of Investments to open Paz Memorial Chapels – Sucat, a full-service mortuary set in a modern 3-story edifice right inside MMP’s flagship park. The Rizal Premier Chapel, a new funeral venue, was built from December 2016 to August 2017.

Rizal Premier Chapel

The Main Chapel

Aside from utility, memorial parks, as sacred and serene places for rest, comfort and inspiration, also operate on the concept of beauty, both natural and man-made. Within the park are at least 250 species of trees, flowering shrubs, ornamental plants, cacti, succulents, ferns, orchids and even variegated palms, most of them planted by the park management or by the families. Ayahuma  or cannonball tree (Couroupita guianensis), frangipani (Plumeria rubra, locally called  kalachuchi) tree, dita trees (Alstonia scholaris), fish poison tree (Barringtonia asiatica, locally called botong, bitun, bitung or boton), several ficus trees, bougainvillea hybrids and hedge plants are extensively used in the park landscaping.

At least 2 dozen bird species (Eurasian tree sparrow, Philippine pied fantail, turtle doves, pigeon, etc.) also call the park as home while the the wooded areas also host a number of bats, butterflies and bees. An informal jogging group also meet at the park.

The bridge over the creek

A creek, crossed by bridges, flows within the park. The Meditation Tower, one of the landmarks in the park, is modeled after two hands clasped in prayer. Inside is a large metal-welded sculpture of the Risen Christ flanked by burial niches.

The welded metal statue of the Risen Christ inside the Meditation Tower

Of course, no memorial park, or cemetery for that matter, is complete without mausoleums of all shapes and sizes. Mausoleums stand as proof of a surviving family’s love for their deceased loved ones and some of the grandest and most beautiful mausoleums in the country can be found in the park. Just like luxury residences (in this case, for the dead), some of them are exquisitely designed.

A row of mausoleums

Many consider the MMP as the southern and more contemporary equivalent of the Manila Chinese Cemetery, with many Filipino-Chinese buried here, a lot of them entombed within exquisite and sometimes massive mausoleums. Some have traditional mini censers (where incense is lit to honor their dead) usually seen beside a Chinese tomb.

Symbolizing the highest form of immortalizing your loved ones, mausoleums (or family estates) are available in clusters of 18, 24, 36 and 96 lots.  Each lot in the family estate allows for one underground burial, contained in a sealed concrete vault.  The construction of a mausoleum, whether open or closed-type, is subject to inventory and Company regulations.  The incorporation of bone boxes or columbary niches in the mausoleum is allowed and comfort rooms are allowed to be built inside the mausoleum..They are classified into the following:

  • Junior Estate (24 lots) – an open type of mausoleum that may contain not more than six above ground tombs, while a closed structure may contain up to 12 above ground tombs. A comfort room is allowed inside the mausoleum.
  • Garden Estate (15 lots) – may construct a memorial structure or mausoleum which shall not exceed 35% of the property size and not more than 3 m. in height.
  • Prestige Estate – measuring 6 m. x 7.32 m. (43.92 sq. m.) with 18 single tiered lots. Construction of the mausoleum’s height must not exceed 3 m.. A maximum of 4 niches and a comfort room is allowed inside the mausoleum.
  • Senior Estate – Measuring 9 m. x 9.76 m. (87.84 sq. m.) with 36 single tiered lots. Constructions of mausoleum is allowed but not to exceed 50% of the property. Mausoleum’s height must not exceed 5 m.. A comfort room is allowed inside the mausoleum.
  • Premier Estate.(96 lots) – construction of this mausoleum shall not exceed 5 m. in height. An open structure may contain a maximum of 20 above-ground tombs while a closed one may contain a maximum of 40 above ground tombs. A comfort room is allowed inside the mausoleum.

The Parthenon-like Po Family Mausoleum

The largest mausoleum in the park is a huge, multi-column mausoleum, reminiscent of the Greek Parthenon (an ancient temple dedicated to goddess Athena), sitting on a 1,383-sq. m. land or about 500 lots and said to be owned by Po family. In front is a short, Egyptian-inspired obelisk.

In front of the mausoleum is an Egyptian-style obelisk surrounded by statues of female figures. The pediment depicts scenes in the life of Christ, notably his Resurrection

The Memorial Memorial Park is the burial site of notable Filipino individuals which includes a president, four senators, a Cabinet secretary, 2 city mayors, a number of actors, a noted fashion designer and a world champion boxer.

The author at the Aquino Mausoleum. My guess is this is a basic unit consisting of 12 contiguous lots with option to construct 2 above ground tombs with back wall and overhang type of roofing. All sides of the structure are open. Cory Aquino tomb is on the left and Ninoy Aquino is on the right

Yuchengco Family Mausoleum

Manila Memorial Park – Sucat: Dr. A. Santos Avenue,  Sucat, Parañaque, Metro Manila, Philippines. Tel: (02) 820-2392 and (02) 820-1577.  Fax: (02) 826-3917.

How to Get There: From South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), take Sucat exit. Go towards the direction of Baclaran/Airport. Manila Memorial Park-Sucat is on the left side.

Stress Relief at Cartimar Shopping Center (Pasay City, Metro Manila)

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Cartimar Shopping Center

Save for two trips to Robinson’s Supermarket (just a 4-km. drive away) for groceries, it’s been six months since I’ve been out of the house (the last time attending a wake on March 10) due to the COVID 19 lockdown which started last March 17. During that time, all the fishes in my aquarium slowly died, necessitating a return visit to Cartimar Pet Center in Pasay City, the famed Divisoria of the animal kingdom and the place to go to if you’re looking for a new pet, whether it be swimming in a tank or crawling on all fours. My son-in-law Bryan and I drove there in afternoon, exploring the area wearing the mandatory face mask and shield.

During the lockdown, pets act as a buffer against psychological stress, proving to be a lifesaver for many, providing companionship, consistency and even joy.  This pet complex, a one-stop shop for pet owners, is a must-visit for any animal lover.

My aquarium restock with carp

The aquatic pet stores offer plenty of fish breeds for everyone, both freshwater (arowanas, mollies, goldfish, guppies, auratus, discus, tetras, barbs, koi, flowerhorns, cichlids, angelfish, betas (Siamese fighting fish), gouramis, platies, swordtails, etc.) and saltwater (tangs, wrasses, angelfish, triggerfish, clownfish, butterflyfish, groupers, etc.) plus the aquarium tanks to house them, fish food (live worns, pellets, flakes, etc.), aerators, lights and the coral, sand, plants (plastic or the real thing), driftwood and rocks to decorate it.

Freshwater aquarium fishes

There’s also a good selection of pet shops where you can buy dogs (German Shepherds, chow chow, mini pinscher, etc.), rabbits, birds (parakeets, doves, etc.), hamsters, pythons, gerbils, Siamese cats, Malaysian box turtles (I still take care of two of these), Guinea pigs, etc.

Bryan’s aquariums now home to goldfish, mollies, beta and guppies. He is now into breeding the latter three

During the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), there were concerns that pet shops left the animals unattended.  However, pet shop owners said that, although their shop was closed due to the lockdown, they still have caretakers inside to take care of the animals.

Pet birds in cages

The majority of the shops carry pet products like pet food (in kilo or in sacks), pet shampoos, newborn milk substitute, pet toys, toys, vitamins, flea powder and carriers as well as cheap accessories for pets like cages, water bottles, leashes, nest boxes, food, cuttle bone, and collars. There are even veterinarian clinics and pet grooming hubs.

Pet rabbits for sale

We get stress-relieving benefits from being around plants.  On the other side of the complex is the Cartimar Plant Market, a a place filled with stores where, also in the past and present, we bought flowering plants, succulents, orchids, shrubs, herbs, planters, seeds, seedlings, trees, ferns and gardening supplies (pots, fertilizer, topsoil, etc.). Today, more and more people are buying plants while in quarantine.

The Plant Market

During the 6-month lockdown, public transport virtually stopped making biking a viable, sustainable and environmentally-friendly transport option during the pandemic – and beyond.  Two months into the lockdown, bicycle shops started running out of cheaper models of mountain bikes. Today, transport advocates are now pushing for the installation of proper bicycle lanes and infrastructure in Metro Manila and beyond. Cycling also fits the criteria for social distancing to prevent the further spread of the virus.

Cheska’s original 2-decade old bike bought from Cartimar which I now use

Cartimar, cycling’s original melting pot, is thus that place you go to if you’re looking to finally get that brand new city, commuter or mountain bike (Felt, Cube, Scott, Momum, Abloc, Velopac, Velotoze, etc.) or service your existing bike or buy parts.It became the go-to place for bikes in the 1990s.

Bikes for sale

The first bike I bought for my daughter Cheska was bought in this bike mecca for biking enthusiasts and hardcore cyclists.  It’s still being used (by me) to this very day. Big bike shops here, accommodating any level of cyclists, include VeloCity, Ross and Paulina’s.

Cartimar, sitting on 2.5 hectares of land bounded by Taft Avenue in front and Leveriza Street at the back, was opened in 1956, two years before I was born and when rock n’ roll was just starting to fill the airwaves. The country’s first successful shopping center, Cartimar, housing over 1,000 stalls and stores in 8 buildings, was managed by Ernesto Oppen at the time of its inauguration.

Early photo of Cartimar Shopping Center (photo: www.ymail.com)

It got its name from the first names of Ernesto’s parents-in-law CARlos Cuyugan and his wife TImotea Lichauco-Cuyugan, and his only daughter MARgarita “Nuning” Cuyugan-Oppen.  Margarita is the chairperson of Cartimar and mother to Cartimar board president Antonio C. Oppen and its secretary and treasurer Alejandro C. Oppen.

Even for a Saturday, business was slow

When this shopping center sprung up in Pasay, shopping in the Philippines was never the same again. In the 1960s, wealthy Makati residents frequented the place for fresh fish and produce. In the late 1970s and throughout 1980s, Cartimar was the “Greenhills” of shopping addicts as it was the place to go when one has a craving for imported PX goods, with stalls selling the best of what the world has to offer – designer jeans (Levis, Wrangler, etc.), shirts, rubber sneakers, chocolates, perfumes, etc. as well as espadrilles and topsiders to the trendy lot. All these goodies can be found in Cartimar.  Parking then was along the 12 m. wide Cartimar Avenue.  However, unlike with bikes and pets, sales of imported goods hasn’t pick up during the lockdown.

Since then, a new Cartimar wet market building has been added, right across the road from the old one.  The three-storey structure has a ground floor allotted for the market plus the upper two serving as parking space, convenient now as, in the past, scoring a parking slot here has always been a gamble. The market, arranged by row, starts with fruits and vegetables at the front, then transitioning to pork and beef, and eventually ending with fish and fowl. The poultry stalls offer free-range chickens, black chickens and ducks.

The shopping center’s fire truck

There are also grocery stores that provide a wide range of selection of imported Asian (Korean, Japanese and Chinese) goods at reasonable rates.  Tiong Hwa sells mostly soy-based products such as taho, tokwa, soya milk, etc.. The New Hatchin Japanese Grocery Store sells coveted Japanese goods (bento boxes, Kikkoman, wasabi, uni, maki, chopsticks, nato, sea weed, etc.) whether inanimate or organic or in bulk, as well as takoyaki.  A Savemore grocery store, with a pharmacy (Watson’s) within, is also located here

A pet grooming center

Cartimar Shopping Center, Flea Market and Pet Store: Cartimar Ave. cor. Taft  Ave., District I, Pasay City 1300, Metro Manila.  Tel:  +63 (02) 8 831-2261, +63 (02) 8 831-1303, +63 (02) 8 833-7826, +63 (02) 8 831-1141 and +63 (02) 8 831-8425. Mobile number: (0906) 361-8142. Open daily, 10 AM – 8 PM. E-mail (general manager: Jaime Genota): jgenota@yahoo.com. Website: www.cartimar.com.ph.

How to Get There: Cartimar can be accessed by taking the LRT to Gil Puyat station, then riding a jeep going to Libertad or Baclaran. You can then ask the jeepney driver to drop you off in Cartimar. Similarly, you can take the LRT to Libertad, and ride a jeepney going to Gil Puyat (i.e. reverse).