The city government of Davao, through the City Economic Enterprise Office (CEE), has announced the planned exhumation of remains from 152 niches and ossuaries with expired lease contracts at the Wireless Public Cemetery along A. Pichon Street in Barangay 8-A, Davao City.
In a public advisory, the city government informed families and relatives of the deceased that the exhumation will be conducted in accordance with Ordinance No. 0291-17, Series of 2017, which governs the management and use of public cemeteries in the city.
Under Section 317, Item A (b) of the ordinance, remains interred in leased niches and ossuaries may be exhumed upon the expiration of the six-year lease period.
The remains may then be transferred to an ossuary under a renewed yearly contract, which carries an initial fee of P220 and an annual renewal fee payable every January.
The ordinance further provides that failure to renew the contract or make the necessary arrangements for the remains may result in their transfer to a common grave following exhumation.
The city government said the exhumed remains will be temporarily stored in a depository within the Wireless Public Cemetery to give families sufficient time to claim them and arrange for reinterment at a cemetery or memorial site of their choice.
It urged affected families to coordinate with cemetery management and verify the status of their lease contracts to avoid inconvenience and ensure the proper disposition of the remains.
The city also reminded the public that burial spaces in city-owned cemeteries are leased for a fixed period and are not permanently reserved or exclusive to any individual or family.
It added that the exhumation is part of the city’s efforts to manage available burial space and ensure compliance with cemetery regulations amid the continuing demand for interment facilities in Davao City.
