pagnapagna: Cementerio: City of San Fernando, La Union (public cemetery)

"This is where I usually go during the All Saints day, November 1 of every year"

-pagnapagna

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-my pagnapagna-

(October 24, 2015 a Saturday)

There was a "clean-up" day in the cemetery as I went inside. They were getting ready for the coming "Piesta't Natay" or the All Saints' and All Souls' day. They were removing weeds, shrubs and vines that had covered some of the grounds, tombs and graves. Others were sweeping away the rubbish and dried leaves. I approached one of them to get some informations about the cemetery and Surprise! Surprise! The sweeper I talked to was a batchmate of mine who went to the same school back then when we were in high school and she was a sanitation inspector in the City Health Office. She added that even their head officer, a medical doctor, is with them cleaning the area together with nurses and some locals who had volunteered. Their catchy tagline is "From Womb to Tomb", she said.

Now under the care of the City Health Office (CHO) of the City since year 2005, the San Fernando City Public Cemetery located at barangay Lingsat is said to occupy an area of almost 7 hectares.

Carefully planned to have a central area for those who have served the Municipality/city as well as the province and to the martyrs, while the outlying areas are allocated for the public as family lots and individual lots. There are areas also for children and a Chinese block.

Although he died in the year 1922, one of the recently buried in the central area is Pvt US Army Jose B. Nisperos who received a medal of honor during the Philippine-American war.

I asked my batchmate who built this cemetery and she pointed to the tomb of Lorenzo Dacanay.

Lorenzo L. Dacanay

Municipal Mayor

"Builder of this Executive Memorial Park"

Appointed mayor - June 1946 - Dec. 1947

Elected mayor - Jan. 1948 - Dec. 1955

Elected mayor - Jan. 1960 - Dec. 1971

Died on March 10, 1975 at the age of 72

Fronting the towering central monument of the cemetery is a lonesome tomb and written in its tombstone was:

IN MEMORIAM

The Gallant and Martyrs of San Fernando

who fought the Japanese invaders in defence

of freedom and democracy:

The brave and courageous defenders who remaining

behind to resist the enemy died in glorious

sacrifice and

the ill-fated sufferers who somewhere in a

forgotten place and date lost their lives

in the holocaust of war because of man's

inhumanity to man.

This memorial is lovingly dedicated by the town's

people in whose grateful hearts the memory

of these honored dead is forever enshrined.

San Fernando, La Union November 1, 1966

The Executive Lot
1- Francisco L. Ortega, 2- Atty. Joaquin T. "Kiking" Ortega, 3- Justo O. Orros Jr.,
4- Melchor P. Aquino, 5- Brig. Gen. Gregorio Hufano, (beside 5)- Jose B. Nisperos,
6- Joaquin Ortega, 7- Juvenal Guerrero, 8- Lorenzo Dacanay, 9- Don Paulino Flores,
10- Antonio Feraren Sr., 11- Don Ramon Aquino Flores, 12- Godofredo Rilloraza Sr.,
13- Don Pedro Flores, 14- Don Francisco Galvez, 15- Don Angel Salanga,
16- Don Modesto Aquino, 17- x, 18- x, 19- Juan Carbonell, 20- Hon. Jorge Camacho,
21- x, 22- x, 23- Tomb with names on left side of "Martyrs" and at the right side are
names of "Defenders", 24- fixed table for Mass, 25- Main monument, written on its
left span were names of 12 Presidente Municipals and at the right side were
names of 12 provincial Governors

At the Chinese block, what was interesting was that it has a public pagoda just like the one near the Provincial Capitol Building of La Union. It is almost a replica of it.

A Pagoda in the Cemetery

Further to the perimeter wall of the cemetery were apartment type or condominium tombs.

It was really getting hot as noontime came. I left the area with informations about this cemetery where we usually visit for our dearly departed ones' physical remains' resting place and headed back to Home Sweet Home.

-end of pagnapagna-

"Undas" (All Saints' Day) November 1, 2015 a Sunday

Video taken October 12, 2015 a Monday

Subject: San Fernando City Public Cemetery

Location : Barangay Lingsat

City of San Fernando

Province of La Union

How to get there:

It is easy to get there because it is located along the National Highway at Barangay Lingsat, north of City proper.

- From San Fernando City proper, ride a jeep bound for Lingsat or you may also take the ones bound for San Juan, Bacnotan and San Gabriel. Just tell the driver you will get down at the Lingsat Cemetery.