The La Loma Catholic Cemetery (Spanish: Campo Santo de La Loma) was opened in 1884 and is largely located in Caloocan, Metro Manila. A portion of the southern part of the cemetery is located in Manila.

La Loma Catholic Cemetery
Map
Details
Established1884
Location
CountryPhilippines
Coordinates14°38′36″N 120°59′17″E / 14.6434°N 120.9880°E / 14.6434; 120.9880
TypeCatholic
Owned byDiocese of Kalookan and Archdiocese of Manila
Size54 hectares (130 acres)

History edit

 
La Loma Cemetery in 1900

The La Loma Cemetery is one of the oldest cemetery in Manila with an area of slightly less than 54 hectares (130 acres). After an earthquake struck Manila in 1863, the Spanish authorities saw the need to find a new cemetery for the city as Paco Cemetery was already running at full capacity. The task was given to Vicente Carranceja, the Inspector General for Public Works. With a budget of P30,000 from the Ayuntamiento he worked with Marcelo Ramirez and began the project on August 3, 1864.[1] The cemetery opened in 1884 and was originally known as Cementerio de Binondo (Binondo Cemetery) as the area was then under the jurisdiction of Santa Cruz during the Spanish Colonial Period.[2]

Spanish officials warned Filipino rebels that once they joined the uprising, they can no longer be buried in Catholic cemeteries on the consecrated ground like La Loma and thus denied of what then was considered a "decent" burial in their time of death.

During the early phases of the Philippine-American War, the cemetery's chapel was the focal point of the Battle of Caloocan. Gen. Arthur MacArthur and his forces occupied the chapel and Blockhouse 2, while Filipino forces under Gen. Antonio Luna were on the northern end of the cemetery.

Campo Santo de La Loma is one of the few sites that escaped ruin during World War II in the 1945 Battle of Manila where most of the city's collection of architecture was destroyed. That leaves it as a crucial piece of the country's historical heritage of architecture. An anti-aircraft mortar launcher can even be seen in the cemetery grounds as well, that still stands today.

Notable burials edit

Gallery edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Ramos, Chen; Sarte, Jenefy (December 31, 2022). "Ang Sementeryo ng La Loma bilang Espasyong Pandigma, Pansanitasyon at Recreational Park, 1899-1945". TALA: An Online Journal of History. 5 (2). ISSN 2651-7108. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  2. ^ Gaerlan, Martin (July 7, 2007). "Cementerio de Binondo (La Loma Cemetery)". Museo Santisima Trinidad. Retrieved on 2013-04-19.
  3. ^ "108th Birth Anniversary of Josefa Llanes-Escoda". Manila Bulletin. September 20, 2006. Archived from the original Archived December 2, 2008, at the Wayback Machine on February 16, 2009. Retrieved November 4, 2013
  4. ^ Gomez, Maita (1997). "Lorena Barros The Gentle Warrior". In Asuncion David Maramba (ed.). Six Young Filipino Martyrs. Pasig: Anvil.
  5. ^ "Kian Loyd delos Santos, 17, was killed by police in Duterte's drug war". August 22, 2017. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
  6. ^ "PCIJ launches children's book on Kian delos Santos". Retrieved August 20, 2019.
  7. ^ Fonbuena, Carmela (August 23, 2017). "'Please stop!' Brutal killing of a student in Philippines drug war sparks nationwide anger". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
  8. ^ Villamor, Felipe (August 26, 2017). "Funeral for Teenager Killed by Philippine Police Galvanizes Duterte Critics". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 20, 2019.

External links edit