Overflowing Garbage Bins Observed in Most Cemeteries
2 November 2024, Quezon City. While pleased with the massive influx of people in cemeteries signifying that the beautiful age-old Undas tradition of remembering our dearly departed ones remains alive, a waste and pollution watchdog group lamented the garbage left by visitors in burial grounds regarded as sacred.
On November 1, Basura Patrollers belonging to the EcoWaste Coalition visited 27 public and private cemeteries, including 17 in Metro Manila, 3 in Laguna, 2 in Cavite, 2 in Rizal and 1 each in Bataan, Bulacan, and Pampanga.
“While littering inside the cemeteries has remarkably decreased, mixed waste bins, plastic bags and other improvised receptacles were literally bursting at the seams in most cemeteries,” said Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator, EcoWaste Coalition, “indicating that visitors simply threw their discards in the bins for personnel to pick up and haul to disposal sites.”
“This is unacceptable as visiting the grave sites of our beloved ones should be done with utmost respect, including not leaving any trash behind,” she emphasized.
Among the items commonly discarded by cemetery visitors include single-use plastic bags, disposable food containers, plastic water bottles, paper and plastic cups and plates, snack packs, donuts, pizza and pancit boxes, and food leftovers.
Here is how waste in some cemeteries looked like:
Undas 2024 – La Loma Catholic Cemetery, Caloocan City.
Undas 2024 – Manila South Cemetery, Makati City.
Undas 2024 – Manila South Cemetery, Makati City.
Undas 2024 – Sanctuario de Carmona Public Cemetery, Carmona City, Cavite.
Undas 2024 – Manila North Cemetery, Manila City.
Undas 2024 – Manila North Cemetery, Manila City.
“As most cemeteries do not have proper solid waste management in place, it would have been better if visitors willfully brought their discards home. Biodegradables like food scraps can be fed to animals or composted. Non-biodegradables can be reused, repurposed or recycled,” she said. “Some cemeteries have no designated bins leading to scattered piles of trash in every nook and cranny and even in spots with ‘no dumping’ signage.”
“Throw-away culture is drowning our cemeteries during Undas, especially in places where vendors of food, beverage and other stuff are allowed as most of the things they offer are packed in convenient but single-use and mostly plastic packaging,” she pointed out .
Outside the cemeteries where street vendors enjoyed brisk sales due to surging crowds, some people carelessly dropped litter, especially food wrappers, plastic bottles and cups and bamboo skewers, on streets and sidewalks, the EcoWaste Coalition’s Basura Patrollers observed.
“The streets and alleys leading to cemeteries would have been carpeted with litter if not for the round-the-clock services by street sweepers assigned by local government units (LGUs),” Lucero said. “We applaud their dedication to keeping the surroundings clean, but their presence should not be a reason for people to litter expecting others will clean up after them.”
For a cleaner and more eco-friendly celebration of Undas in 2025, the EcoWaste Coalition has recommended the following action points:
1. For all cemetery visitors to carry their discards away with them and not leave any rubbish behind.
2. For the concerned cemetery management and LGU to impose and enforce strict rules governing waste management for all to follow, including visitors and vendors.
3. For civic groups and others providing free water and food to visitors to avoid disposables to minimize waste.
4. For the general public not to litter, plain and simple.
The EcoWaste Coalition’s Basura Patrollers visited the following cemeteries last Friday:
– Caloocan City: La Loma Catholic Cemetery
– Makati City: Manila South Cemetery
– Mandaluyong City: Garden of Life Memorial Park, San Felipe Neri Catholic Cemetery
– Manila City: Manila North Cemetery
– Navotas City: Immaculate Garden Memorial Park, Navotas, Public Cemetery, San Jose Catholic Cemetery
– Parañaque City: Himlayang Palanyag, Loyola Memorial Park, Manila Memorial Park,
– Pasay City: Pasay Catholic Cemetery, Pasay City Cemetery
– Pasig City: Pasig Catholic Cemetery
– Quezon City: Bagbag Public Cemetery, Himlayang Pilipino
– San Juan City: St. John Memorial Park
– Balanga, Bataan: Tenejero Public Cemetery
– Paombong, Bulacan: Paombong Public Cemetery
– Carmona City, Cavite: Sanctuario de Carmona Private Cemetery, Sanctuario de Carmona Public Cemetery
– Calamba City, Laguna: Holy Family Cemetery, Rizal Memorial Park, Roman Catholic Cemetery
– San Fernando City, Pampanga: Good Shepherd Memorial Park
– San Mateo, Rizal: Capilpil Public Cemetery, Sta. Ana Catholic Cemetery
The EcoWaste Coalition, an advocate for a zero waste and toxics-free society, backs the enforcement of pollution prevention laws such as Republic Act No. 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, and local ordinances aimed at protecting the people and the environment from chemicals and waste.