The Camposanto of Oton

A camposanto is a cemetery or a burial ground, the final resting place of the corporeal bodies of our loved ones. It came from the Spanish term campo santo meaning “holy ground”. In Panay, however, the term is loosely associated with the funeral chapel found inside cemeteries, when in fact it should encompass the whole burial ground. Anyway, talking about camposantos or cemeteries, the Catholic Cemetery of Oton is thought to be one of the oldest cemeteries in Panay Island. A guess is that it was probably built around the early to the middle of the 19^th century, but the clues to its real age are slowly fading. At first look you wouldn't have thought that this final resting place for the dead is old.

The years have never been kind to the old cemetery, much of its old tombs have been long replaced by new structures, while the still existing old structures have been re-touched with modernity. The whole cemetery is now filled with big mausoleums with wrought-iron grilles, concrete niches with fencing and high-rise apartment-type crypts. A bit crowded, I might add. It used to be that the apartment-type crypts are stacked by threes, but now they are stacked twice over. The only way to expand here is vertically. I can still recall that in the late 70s until the 80s there were still ground burials done inside the cemetery and crosses of various size and make stood side by side on the ground. Tall grasses grow in between the graves, and at times there would be newly dug holes and even caskets left gaping strewn with bone fragments and pieces of decayed clothing and hair for everyone to see. This sight was too much too handle for an adult, let alone a child.

At the back of the Catholic Cemetery lies the Municipal Cemetery. Its main gate is situated at the back part of the block. You can pass at the road on the left side from the high way, and it all goes around the block. There is also a passageway inside the Catholic Cemetery, but it only allows for people to pass, not vehicles. The apartment-type crypts even invaded the roadside, just outside the walls of the municipal cemetery, facing a row of houses. The people living there must be used to this scene already.

The Oton Municipal Cemetery

The old funeral chapel, which we unwittingly call the “kamposanto”, is located at the center of the cemetery. In the mid 90s it encountered a drastic renovation. Its antique "tiyesa" roof was torn down and was replaced with concrete slab and painted. It's a pity that its historical and cultural value was overlooked to make way for a new look. Simple in design, what stood out with that chapel was its rust-colored tile roof that was filled with weeds and other plants. It was unique in the sense that it was the only funeral chapel in Panay with "tiyesa" roofing.

This is how the funeral chapel looked like before its renovation

The funeral chapel after its renovation 

An inscription at the wall of the funeral chapel, in old-style Hiligaynon
(To God they will glorify, the bones of those who were humbled in this life)

Wooden trusses support the concrete roof.

Today, there is an ongoing renovation of the facade of the Catholic cemetery. As of this writing the facade is halfway done. Part of the renovation is to build an arch at the gate. I salute this effort of the church and private individuals to give the facade of the cemetery a facelift. I was hoping however that in the near future more attention will also be  given to address the overcrowded state of tombs inside the cemetery. This is not only a place for the dead, but it's also for the living who visit their departed loved ones who are laid to rest here.