ILOILO City – The burial of persons who died of infectious diseases like coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) must be done within 24 hours in accordance with the Sanitation Code of the Philippines, according to Dr. Glen Alonsabe, epidemiologist at the Department of Health (DOH) in Region 6.
“Kon indi sia ma-cremate, we have no other recourse but bury the body in compliance to the Sanitation Code of the Philippines,” said Alonsabe.
The city and the province of Iloilo are currently scouting for safe spaces to bury COVID-19 casualties.
Overwhelmed with the numbers cadavers brought to them for cremation, the only crematorium in Panay Island – the Gegato Abecia Funeral Homes & Crematory based in this city – temporarily declined accepting new pandemic fatalities.
It is the local government units (LGUs) that must identify COVID burial sites, said Dr. Daphynie Teorima, DOH-6 medical officer.
However, environmental control standards must be observed in choosing the sites, Teorima emphasized.
She said the chosen site must be 25 meters away from residential areas and the water source.
In Iloilo City, Mayor Jerry Treñas said the city cannot bury its coronavirus fatalities here. He was concerned of possible ground water contamination.
In a meeting with the COVID team yesterday together with representatives from the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) Region 6 and DOH-6, it was discussed that the city will work with the crematorium to find a 40-footer negative 20 degrees freezer van that will temporarily house the cadavers pending cremation.
‘HIGH TECH SOLUTION’
On the other hand, the Gegato Abecia Funeral Homes & Crematory said it has procured a “high tech” machine that could cremate up to 60 to 80 cadavers per day.
The machine, which would augment the one being used now, is arriving in two weeks, said Fely Abecia, owner of the crematory.
“Maayo lang kay before pandemic nakabakal ako sang ‘high tech’ nga machine,” Abecia said in an interview over DYOK Aksyon Radyo Iloilo yesterday.
Abecia also explained the efficiency of the new machine.
“Ang digital subong…it has set the number of hours, masiling nga one hour and 15 minutes after makuha ang body,” she started. “Ang isa naman ‘ya (the ‘high tech’ one) ma-set nga 40 minutes matapos ang cremation but within 30 kon makita mo sa magic eye nga abo na sia puede mo sia ma-stop, pagwaon ang abo kag islan naman sang isa.”
“Sa digital hulaton mo matapos ang oras. That’s why it could cremate for more than 60 to 80 persons a day,” Abecia added.
Last week, Abecia said they were overwhelmed by the number of cadavers being brought for cremation describing it as “kon sa isda daw nagdagsa.”
“Wala ako maka-prepare sang sitwasyon sang amo ‘ni kadamo,” she said.
Abecia also said about 20 remaining cadavers in their facility can be cremated within a week.
On the other hand, Abecia disclosed that the province of Aklan had the most cadavers delivered to the crematory last week – with up to 10 bodies per day.
Aside from Aklan, she also cited Antique and Roxas City in Capiz.
There’s only a few cadavers coming from the city and province of Iloilo, she added.
Abecia couldn’t also help but lament about their current situation.
“Naghambal ako sa subong nga week nga ma-halt sang acceptance sang bodies to be cremated kay sa kadamuon sang tawo. Ang iban indi man makahulat kay kon magsiling sila cremation insigida. Subong damo nagadali so I don’t like to compromise myself nga they’re thinking nga nagahampang ang operator nga subong wala pa kagwa,” Abecia said. “So, it’s better to play safe, ma-stop sa pag-accept sang bodies kay ubuson ko anay nabilin. Magtapos ko na, mahambal naman ako sa LGUs and I have help man sa manog-abot nga machine.”
In case of a surge in COVID deaths, especially now with the presence of various variants of the virus causing COVID-19, Abecia said they would also procure a 40-footer freezer van from Cebu./PN