Makati City Mayor Abby Binay assured Makatizens that the city government will extend its services to them from "womb to tomb" or from the day they were born until their death at the launch of the Makati Columbarium on Tuesday, July 9.
Binay, together with other city government officials and executives, led the inauguration of the columbarium located along Kalayaan Avenue corner Nicanor Garcia St. in Barangay Valenzuela.
(From left) Mayor Abby Binay (center) with Operations Manager of Anglo Archers Assets Corp. April Tena, Congressman Romulo Peña, Vice Mayor Monique Lagdameo, Congressman Luis Campos, Anglo Archers Assets Corp. Chairman Engr. Morgan Say, and Anglo Archers Assets Corp. President Solomon Say.
“At last, Makatizens now have a facility that offers a decent place to lay their loved ones to rest. The Makati Columbarium offers services at affordable rates, while promoting safety, convenience, and sustainability,” Binay said, stressing that the services of the Makati Columbarium are priced lower than private services, and the city government will also give additional subsidies to residents.
“Compared with the current rates of services offered by other columbarium and crematoriums in Metro Manila, the Makati Columbarium rates are much cheaper, even more so with memorial lots. Makatizens who are senior citizens and persons with disability (PWD) will get up to 50 percent discount while other residents will get 25 percent,” she explained.
Built on a 4,000-square meter property that used to be the Makati Catholic Cemetery, the columbarium has two completed and fully operational structures, landscaped gardens, and parking spaces.
Mayor Abby Binay, Rep. Kid Peña, and Rep. Luis Campos
At the center is the administration building that holds the administration office, main chapel, and an eco-friendly crematorium that has an Environmental Compliance Certificate from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Behind the administration building is a three-storey building where the columbary vaults are located, with a total of 14,784 vault units available. Eight viewing chapels are at the ground floor, while each floor has a lobby lounge, comfort rooms, a PWD lift, and common stairs.
Each vault unit measures 30 x 30 x 50 centimeters and can hold three standard size or four small size urns. It has a tile cover and is up to seven levels, A to G.
Binay also announced plans to expand the facility to increase its capacity so it can continue to serve the needs of Makatizens in the coming years.
"The additional buildings and improvements, including more crypts and viewing chapels, will be built by our private partner, so there will be no more cash out on the part of the city," the mayor said.
Earlier, the local government unit (LGU) opened the new police and fire central headquarters in Barangay San Antonio, to help streamline and enhance the capabilities of the city's protective sector in maintaining peace and order and emergency response.