Category Archives: Cemeteries

A Historical Tour of Clark (Pampanga)

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After watching the early morning flight of Clark’s famous hot air balloons, Jandy and I returned to our Toyota Revo and made our way out of Clark as we still wanted to explore nearby Angeles City.  Along the way we made brief stopovers at some of Clark’s historical sights.  Our first stopover was at the old parade grounds.

Fort Stotsenberg Gate Posts

The Fort Stotsenberg Gate Posts once stood at the Dau Gate, the first gateway to Fort Stotsenberg , from the early 1900s until the Japanese Occupation in 1942 when they were removed and buried as landfill.  Unearthed intact in 1965,  these posts were moved to the American Legion Post (near the Personnel Office and not far from the Clark Gym) and finally relocated to the south side of the entrance of the parade grounds in 1984.

Clark Museum

Near the old parade grounds, on the original site of the 217-bed base hospital (dating to September 1903) and the Base Commander’s office, is the Clark Museum, also called the Kapampangan Museum.

 

Check out “Clark Museum“

Death March Marker

At the entrance of the Clark Veterans Cemetery, along the main entrance road, just past the main gate, is the Death March Marker.  This memorial marker was erected by the Manila BPO Elks lodge in honor of fellow Elks, American and Filipino POWs, who passed this spot during the infamous Bataan Death March in 1942.

Clark Veterans Cemetery

Just inside the Main Gate, along the Mitchell Highway, is the 20.365-acre, 12,000 plot Calrk Veterans Cemetery, formed between 1947 and 1950 to house 7,559 military and civilian remains.  There are headstones/markers and remains from at least 4 other U.S. military cemeteries (Fort Stotsenberg 1 and 2, Fort McKinley and Sangley Point Naval Cemetery).  These include 2,030 fallen American soldiers, including at least 638 Philippine Scouts (PS) from the pre-World War II era.  Some, but not all, were veterans of the Spanish-American war and the Philippine-American War.

Graves of the unknown dead

Others are graves of U.S. veterans from the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Air Force who died after World War II (all World War II dead were moved to the American Cemetery in Manila) and during the Korean and Vietnam War.  The largest category interred is civilian, mostly U.S. and Filipino, all of whom worked for the U.S. government, and their dependents.  In addition, nationals from France, Spain, Canada, Japan, China, Vietnam and India are also buried there.  A little over 1,600 remains are still unidentified.  The cemetery is also the only place in the former U.S. 13th Air Force base where the U.S. flag flutters alongside the Philippine flag.

Salakot Arch

Finally, at the main gate entrance to the Clark Freeport Zone, at Bayanihan Park, is the Salakot Arch, a cavernous welcome landmark fashioned after a farmer’s hat built in 1979.  It stands as a sign of Philippine-American friendship over the years and was originally built to symbolize the historical March 14, 1947 signing of the RP-US Military Bases Agreement.  Beyond the arch is Angeles City.

Good Friday in Sagada (Mountain Province)

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Good Friday, our last whole day in Sagada, was partly spent in prayer.  Together with my Danum Lake companions who were also staying in my inn, we made our way past the school gate and up some steps to the cemetery where Eduardo Masferre, the famous photographer (June 24, 1995), and William Henry Scott (1993), are buried.  It has a view of the northern valley.  Further up is Calvary, the highest point in the town cemetery which is marked with a huge cross.  Here, we visited and prayed at its 14 Stations of the Cross.

Sagada Cemetery

From the cemetery, a steep path took us to Echo Valley.  Halfway down, we viewed hanging coffins on large, gray limestone cliffs at the opposite side and some small burial caves.  There are still a few sangadil (“death chairs”) next to the hanging coffins, placed there for the spirits to rest on.

Hanging coffins

When a Sagadan nears old age, he is given the choice of cave burial or “hanging coffins.”  The deceased is cladded in special burial attire woven by a widow in the village.  This ensures that the spirit (anito) community would recognize them and admit them to the spirit world.

They are bound to a sangadil (death chair) and placed on the house porch for the duration of the long makibaya-o (wake period).  During the makibaya-o, pigs are sacrificed, dirges are sung and eulogies given during the all-night vigils.

The empty coffin is first taken to the burial site (cave or rock ledges).  The funeral procession follows later, preceded by torchbearers who make sure that no animals crosses its path.  When bad omens are encountered, the previously selected burial site could be changed at the last moment in the belief that the new arrival is not welcomed by the present occupants.

The deceased’s body is borne by young lads who vie with one another for the honor of carrying it the furthest distance.  In doing so, it is believed that he would gain much strength and wisdom from the deceased.  Today, these traditional rites are still being practiced, although on a smaller or revised scale, and still requested by some old people.

However, most are now buried on family land or at the Christian cemetery. The makibaya-o, whether traditional, Christian or in combination, is still significant in adult deaths.

The next day, Saturday, after breakfast at the inn, Jandy and I left Sagada on the 10 AM jeepney bound for Bontoc.