Making a living from the dead

Most people see All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day as opportunities to hit three birds with one stone — traveling to remember dead relatives, rekindling old family ties, and getting a needed vacation after months of stressful work.

Then of course, there are still people who do ‘stressful work’ during these days.

Inside the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City, there are people who make their living by cleaning tombs and plots, by making deals with clients who want to maintain the cleanliness of their dead relatives’ plots.

However, “sidelines” or jobs for non-clients increase during this season, translating to opportunities for a bigger take-home pay.

So any interruption — like rain — would diminish their chances to earn more.  Timeliness is also an issue as this year’s All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day fell on a Thursday and Friday, translating to a four-day holiday.

One of the cleaners said that they are earning more this year as compared to last year because of these factors.

“Mas maganda ang panahon ngayon, kasi no’ng nakaraan umuulan.  Kaya mas malaki ang kita, mas maraming nagpapalinis,” a male cleaner told INQUIRER.net on Thursday, remembering last year where less people went to cemeteries due to rains dumped by Tropical Depression Ramil.

“Saka mas mahaba at mas marami ‘yong araw ng dalaw ngayon, kasi kahit Sabado o Linggo, marami pa ring dadalaw nyan,” he added.

(The weather is better, because it rained hard last year.  Income is higher when more are asking to clean their relatives’ graves.  Also, there are more days for people to visit, people would still go here on Saturday or Sunday.)

According to the cleaners and their clients, maintenance of cemetery plots would cost around P200 to P500 per month. The rate for tombs would be around P500 to P1,500.

Pay is also negotiable, as it depends on the materials used in the plot or tomb. Most of the time, cleaners would demand higher prices if marble is involved.

 

Main commodities

Meanwhile, flower vendors are having the same experience. According to them, this year appears to be more fruitful than last year, even if flowers now cost between P50 and P1,000.

Most of the flower vendors in Marikina have agreed their business fared badly in 2017, because less people bought flowers while the supply was abundant.

“Mas malakas ngayong taon dahil umulan no’ng nakaraan,” a lady flower vendor told INQUIRER.net.

(It’s better this year because it did not rain.)

The good weather also benefits the food industry.  A hotdog stall owner said that just on Thursday, they nearly covered their net income for last year’s operations.

Another ice cream vendor familiar with the Loyola Memorial Park shared the exact sentiments — more visitors, more children, a hot weather, then more buyers of cold treats.

“Medyo malakas ngayon, dahil sa ulan no’ng nakaraan, wala masyadong tao,” the ice cream vendor said.

(It’s better because only few went here because of rains.)

 

Crises and cemeteries

However, Celso Grimaldo, who has been a caretaker of plots and tombs inside the Loyola Memorial Park for more than two decades, said fewer people have asked them to clean tombs and plots as the relatives of the departed are now doing it themselves to save on expenses.

“Mas malakas no’ng mga nakaraan, ngayon ay mahina.  Dahil sa krisis.  Ang namamasdan ko, sila na ang naglilinis,” Grimaldo told INQUIRER.net

“Ang krisis, hindi lang nararanasan sa isa, lahat nakakaranas.  Siguro, nagtitipid na rin sila,” he added.

(Business was better a few years ago, it is weaker nowadays because of the crisis.  I have observed people cleaning graves on their own.  The crisis does not only affect the poor, it affects everyone.  Maybe they are also being thrifty.)

Grimaldo explained that in the past, he can make around P40,000 by cleaning nearly a hundred plots in just four days.

Nowadays, that pay takes a huge cut amid rising prices of basic goods.

“Dati no’ng araw, ay ganitong panahon, nakaka-kwarenta mil na ako, no’ng taong 2005.  Ngayon bente mil lang, kasama na ho ‘yong mga nakaraang araw,” he noted.

(In previous All Souls’ Days like in 2005, I can earn around P40,000.  This year, P20,000, including the past few days.)

Ironically, Grimaldo’s case is also similar for people who earlier said that their revenues for this year have increased.  They said this year’s numbers pale in comparison with their take in the past five years.

“No’ng mga nakaraang taon, may kalakasan.  Kahit hindi mo tignan ang gross net talaga, sa dami lang ng tao,” the same flower vendor said.

(Before, it was strong, even if you don’t look at your gross net income, just by looking at the crowds, you’ll know.)

“Meron pa ring bumibili ng ice cream kahit mahirap ang buhay, kaso ano lang, hindi talaga ‘yong solid na… hindi nga kami naka-bawi eh.  ‘Yong 2010, malakas talaga, mas marami sa ganito ‘yong mga tao,” the same ice cream vendor remarked.

(People still buy ice cream even if life is hard, but it was never a solid income, sometimes we cannot even return our investment.  In 2010, it was really very good, more people were here.)

What now?

Opposition groups are blaming the soaring prices of goods on the current administration’s tax program or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law, which imposed additional taxes on oil products, other commodities such as sweetened drinks, and government documents.

While TRAIN excluded workers earning P250,000 annually from paying income taxes, critics emphasized that it did not help minimum wage earners who were already exempted from payment of income taxes, even before the tax reform was implemented.

Some critics also claim that the excise taxes on petroleum products have contributed to inflation, as the increase in fuel costs allegedly forced trucking and delivery services to sell meat and vegetables at a higher price, and caused fare hikes in jeepneys and buses.

Inflation for August was recorded at 6.4 percent — the highest in nine years, which was succeeded by a staggering 6.7 percent in September.

President Rodrigo Duterte has previously said that suspending TRAIN is fine for him but some officials have expressed concerns as the measure was installed to fund the government’s various infrastructure projects.

With the middle class spending less after reeling from effects of inflation, how will these people, whose jobs flourish on a seasonal basis, cope up?

“Napagkakasya naman ang kinikita.  ‘Pag gagamit na lang sa pera, ‘wag lang apurahin ang pera na maubos, para may magamit paunti-unti,” Grimaldo said while laughing.

(We are trying to make ends meet.  In using money, we don’t spend money quickly, so that we have savings when we need it.). /muf

View comments

TAGS: Marikina City