The Davao City Economic Enterprise (CEE) has urged families with relatives buried at Tagakpan Public Cemetery to check the status of their departed loved ones as the city prepares for the mass exhumation of human remains. This measure is necessary to pave the way for the cemetery’s rehabilitation and development.
Families Encouraged to Visit Cemetery
Stephen Lloyd G. Diong, public cemetery operations overseer of CEE, encouraged families to visit the cemetery and determine whether their relatives’ remains are among those affected by the rehabilitation project. “Tagaan nila og higayon og oras mag adtu didto para ma check tan-aw nila ang status sa pamilya nila didto ang bukog (They are being given time and opportunity to visit the cemetery so they can check the condition and status of their loved ones’ remains),” Diong told SunStar Davao on May 13, 2026.
Diong said no families had yet raised concerns regarding the exhumation as of May 13. However, authorities have already instructed cemetery caretakers to inform visiting families about the ongoing process.
Transfer Options and Requirements
Families may apply to transfer exhumed remains from the bone depository to the ossuary. At present, the ossuary remains the only available option because the compartmentalized niches are still reserved for fresh burials. Diong said relatives must personally visit Tagakpan Cemetery to verify burial records and process requests.
Applicants need to present the death certificate of the deceased, authorization letters if necessary, service contracts, fully accomplished application forms, and an exhumation permit issued by the CEE. Families must also pay a P220 fee at the City Treasurer’s Office.
Details of the Exhumation
CEE earlier announced on May 12 that around 479 decedents would be affected by the rehabilitation project. Authorities plan to exhume, disinfect, contain, label, and temporarily store the remains at the cemetery’s bone depository. This figure adds to the 315 remains previously exhumed during the second phase of rehabilitation works.
Diong said the exhumation of the additional 479 remains could take two to three weeks to complete with assistance from the City Health Office (CHO). The CHO would conduct sanitation procedures before the exhumation to ensure compliance with the Sanitation Code.
Long-term Arrangements
Authorities will temporarily relocate unclaimed remains to the bone depository while the city government determines long-term arrangements through a city ordinance in coordination with the City Legal Office, CHO, and the City Social Welfare and Development Office. Diong said authorities would ensure that all actions comply with sanitation laws and protect the rights of families and descendants.
Rehabilitation Progress
The 23,779-square-meter cemetery underwent rehabilitation beginning in 2021 with a budget of P50.5 million. The first phase included the construction of concrete fences, roads, drainage canals, administrative buildings, guardhouses, and public comfort rooms. Diong said the City Engineer’s Office reported that the rehabilitation project has reached around 75 percent completion.
Once completed, the cemetery will include 564 compartmentalized niches, 560 ossuary units, 174 mass grave niches, a Muslim cemetery, designated open spaces for Muslim burials, a bone depository, public comfort rooms, administrative buildings, and guardhouses.
