DAVAO CITY – Mayor Sara Duterte here has ordered the temporary closure of a public cemetery in this city for development.In a statement Saturday, the city government said Duterte issued Executive Order (EO) No. 7, Series of 2021, last Feb. 9 temporarily closing the Tagakpan Public Cemetery (TPC).
Duterte ordered the temporary closure of TPC for burials to fasttrack the implementation of its two-phase project.“The Tagakpan Public Cemetery is the most ideal city-owned public cemetery to be developed and modernized patterned after the rehabilitated Wireless Public Cemetery,” Duterte said.
Duterte added that there is a need for the cemetery's development and modernization "to accommodate burials, particularly in the third district that is decent and affordable since the city-owned and operated public cemeteries are already congested and there is already a shortage of burial grounds.
"According to the EO, the City Economic Enterprises Office (CEEO), in coordination with the City Engineer’s Office (CEO), shall monitor and inspect the implementation of the cemetery's rehabilitation and development of the TPC.
The CEEO is tasked to furnish the Davao City Cemetery Board with a report on the rehabilitation updates in the next scheduled monthly regular board meeting.