Living Among the Dead | National Geographic

Manila the capital of the Philippines

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