Manila the capital of the Philippines with a population of 10 million the city
with a population of 10 million the city
with a population of 10 million the city is overflowing with people and the dead
is overflowing with people and the dead
is overflowing with people and the dead Manila’s North cemetery is the city’s
Manila’s North cemetery is the city’s
Manila’s North cemetery is the city’s largest with 70 to 80 funerals a day and
largest with 70 to 80 funerals a day and
largest with 70 to 80 funerals a day and more than 1 million buried here it’s
more than 1 million buried here it’s
more than 1 million buried here it’s filled beyond capacity spilling over
filled beyond capacity spilling over
filled beyond capacity spilling over with corpses for most this would be a
with corpses for most this would be a
with corpses for most this would be a chilling place to visit but to some
chilling place to visit but to some
chilling place to visit but to some Filipinos this sea of tombs and bones is
Filipinos this sea of tombs and bones is
Filipinos this sea of tombs and bones is the place they call home
the place they call home
the place they call home an entire community built on top of the
an entire community built on top of the
an entire community built on top of the dead ray meal and Rito has lived in the
dead ray meal and Rito has lived in the
dead ray meal and Rito has lived in the city of death since 1988 hey did they
city of death since 1988 hey did they
city of death since 1988 hey did they plan it on a lot of people think it’s
plan it on a lot of people think it’s
plan it on a lot of people think it’s scary to live here inside the cemetery
scary to live here inside the cemetery
scary to live here inside the cemetery the celibacy mentor Te’o
the celibacy mentor Te’o
the celibacy mentor Te’o he turned an aboveground tomb into a
he turned an aboveground tomb into a
he turned an aboveground tomb into a two-story house few people would want to
two-story house few people would want to
two-story house few people would want to do their laundry only feet away from a
do their laundry only feet away from a
do their laundry only feet away from a corpse and a crib or brush their teeth
corpse and a crib or brush their teeth
corpse and a crib or brush their teeth on top of a gravestone there’s even an
on top of a gravestone there’s even an
on top of a gravestone there’s even an empty tomb inside Raimi’s living room
empty tomb inside Raimi’s living room
empty tomb inside Raimi’s living room but this will be the grave for my family
but this will be the grave for my family
but this will be the grave for my family me I’m gonna say whoever is first to go
me I’m gonna say whoever is first to go
me I’m gonna say whoever is first to go will be buried here
will be buried here
will be buried here ramie lives here by choice because this
ramie lives here by choice because this
ramie lives here by choice because this is where he works his job is only a few
is where he works his job is only a few
is where he works his job is only a few tombstones away and it’s not for the
tombstones away and it’s not for the
tombstones away and it’s not for the squeamish at least three times a day
squeamish at least three times a day
squeamish at least three times a day Rainey must exhume the dead with space
Rainey must exhume the dead with space
Rainey must exhume the dead with space and money scarce many poor families must
and money scarce many poor families must
and money scarce many poor families must rent burial sites here in what are
rent burial sites here in what are
rent burial sites here in what are called the apartments and like any
called the apartments and like any
called the apartments and like any tenant the dead can be evicted if the
tenant the dead can be evicted if the
tenant the dead can be evicted if the rent isn’t paid after five years the
rent isn’t paid after five years the
rent isn’t paid after five years the apartment is open then it’s Rama’s job
apartment is open then it’s Rama’s job
apartment is open then it’s Rama’s job to remove the body piece by piece
to remove the body piece by piece
to remove the body piece by piece decomposed or not
decomposed or not
decomposed or not it’s a task that took some getting used
it’s a task that took some getting used
it’s a task that took some getting used to when I first started here at the
to when I first started here at the
to when I first started here at the cemetery the first time I handled bones
cemetery the first time I handled bones
cemetery the first time I handled bones I could meet for two weeks that only I
I could meet for two weeks that only I
I could meet for two weeks that only I couldn’t sleep
couldn’t sleep
couldn’t sleep my stomach was upset I felt like
my stomach was upset I felt like
my stomach was upset I felt like throwing up Wow but three weeks into the
throwing up Wow but three weeks into the
throwing up Wow but three weeks into the job I got used to it
job I got used to it
job I got used to it little by little and I started eating
little by little and I started eating
little by little and I started eating again you’re not I know
here death is everywhere literally
here death is everywhere literally staring residents in the face in this
staring residents in the face in this
staring residents in the face in this neighborhood unclaimed bodies litter
neighborhood unclaimed bodies litter
neighborhood unclaimed bodies litter front yards becoming children’s
front yards becoming children’s
front yards becoming children’s playthings or ballast for tin rooftops
but ramie a devout Catholic places the
but ramie a devout Catholic places the unclaimed corpses in a mass grave so
unclaimed corpses in a mass grave so
unclaimed corpses in a mass grave so that their souls may rest in peace I’m
that their souls may rest in peace I’m
that their souls may rest in peace I’m Arab on Papa those who don’t have money
Arab on Papa those who don’t have money
Arab on Papa those who don’t have money to Ribery the bones are stored here
to Ribery the bones are stored here
to Ribery the bones are stored here there are more than 2,000 bodies here in
there are more than 2,000 bodies here in
there are more than 2,000 bodies here in the Philippines caring for graves isn’t
the Philippines caring for graves isn’t
the Philippines caring for graves isn’t a matter of placing flowers once a year
a matter of placing flowers once a year
a matter of placing flowers once a year and that’s what makes it possible for
and that’s what makes it possible for
and that’s what makes it possible for the cemeteries residents to live here
the cemeteries residents to live here
the cemeteries residents to live here many people want to have someone to tend
many people want to have someone to tend
many people want to have someone to tend their loved ones crypts on a full-time
their loved ones crypts on a full-time
their loved ones crypts on a full-time basis mario from alice an epitaph maker
basis mario from alice an epitaph maker
basis mario from alice an epitaph maker has called the cemetery home for over 25
has called the cemetery home for over 25
has called the cemetery home for over 25 years
Mario’s lease agreement is one few
Mario’s lease agreement is one few Westerners would want to sign take care
Westerners would want to sign take care
Westerners would want to sign take care of a crypt and its corpses and you can
of a crypt and its corpses and you can
of a crypt and its corpses and you can move in with them for free and in turn
move in with them for free and in turn
move in with them for free and in turn his family has a place to live
his family has a place to live
his family has a place to live yummy hello people ask me why we live
yummy hello people ask me why we live
yummy hello people ask me why we live here anything I tell them because and
here anything I tell them because and
here anything I tell them because and that rent is free but gum up everything
that rent is free but gum up everything
that rent is free but gum up everything is trouble even with otter claw
is trouble even with otter claw
is trouble even with otter claw it may be creepy but it’s also quiet and
it may be creepy but it’s also quiet and
it may be creepy but it’s also quiet and safe particularly when compared to the
safe particularly when compared to the
safe particularly when compared to the slums of Manila where squalor and drugs
slums of Manila where squalor and drugs
slums of Manila where squalor and drugs are part of daily life
Remiel and rito does hope that someday
Remiel and rito does hope that someday his son jr. will find a home far from
his son jr. will find a home far from
his son jr. will find a home far from the tombs and coffins of the cemetery
the tombs and coffins of the cemetery
the tombs and coffins of the cemetery but until then Rama’s family and others
but until then Rama’s family and others
but until then Rama’s family and others like Mario for malice will continue to
like Mario for malice will continue to
like Mario for malice will continue to live in a place many would find taboo
live in a place many would find taboo
live in a place many would find taboo funny with me money China this really
funny with me money China this really
funny with me money China this really isn’t a place for the living without but
isn’t a place for the living without but
isn’t a place for the living without but they’ve animal it’s a place for the dead
they’ve animal it’s a place for the dead
they’ve animal it’s a place for the dead but they have the other lives but in the
but they have the other lives but in the
but they have the other lives but in the end it’s our home
”
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