LUCENA CITY?There were less trash in some cemeteries here and scavengers were not so happy.

While he could still smile, George Devela lamented that he barely filled a sack of reusable garbage like empty plastic bottles and aluminum cans in one of the private cemeteries in the outskirts of the city.

?Last year, I already had three sacks full as of this time but now all I have is this one sack,? Devela told the Inquirer early Sunday morning as he showed a jute sack full of assorted cashable trash.

He also complained of the low price of plastic garbage in the neighborhood junk shop.

?Last year, a kilo of plastic was P20 but now it?s down to P8, not enough to buy a kilo of NFA rice,? he shook his head, yet still could afford to laugh over his miserable plight.

The price of cashable candle drippings left behind in the cemeteries by the multitudes of visitors during the annual observance of All Saints? Day has been steadily rising for the past three years.

However, their volume has also been steadily decreasing, to the detriment of ?cemetery kids? who gather wax drippings and left-over candles which they sell to Manila-based buyers manning makeshift trading stations outside the cemeteries.

Lito Cantos, a Grade IV student, was spotted counting P45 in coins from the sale of the candle drippings that he collected in several private memorial parks along with his buddies.

?Why is it that there were less candle drippings?? the boy asked.

A vendor selling candles near him traced this to the high price of candles.

?We observed that most cemetery visitors this year preferred flowers, unlike in the past when they also spent considerable amount for candles during their vigils,? said Anita Guzman.

She said the price of ordinary candle had increased by an average of 50 centavos.

?The multicolored candle costs even higher,? she said.

In 2005, a kilo of multicolored candle drippings cost P3 a kilo, P4 in 2006 and P6 last year.

?We?re now buying them at P7 to P8 a kilo but with the less volume of transactions from cemetery kids. With the high cost of truck rent, I don?t know if we would be able to make a profit,? a buyer of candle drippings said.

Guzman said she invested P5,000 for her stock of candles this year but she could barely recoup her investment.

?I have plenty of leftover which I hope I can still dispose in the next couple of days,? she said.

Citing experience, Guzman was optimistic that more relatives would still visit their departed relatives even after All Saints? Day.

The cemetery kids also blamed cemetery owners for their constant reminder to the public through loud speakers to observe proper disposal of their garbage.

?They really heeded the advice. They did not leave us anything,? one of the boys lamented.

Government environment officials have called on the public to turn the commemoration of All Saints? Day and All Souls? Day ?garbage free.? Delfin T. Mallari Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon