GRAVING THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE ... Interment of COVID-19 Positive!
The Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has led to a heartbreaking loss of human life and poses an unprecedented challenge to public health. Said health risks and challenges are ever-present in the performance of any government agencies, instrumentalities, and organizations from health care workers, security forces, and other service providers that are directly or indirectly involved in the COVID-19 pandemic response.
The threat of COVID-19 is very stern due to its being contagious, making any mass gatherings during wakes, necrological services, and interment ceremonies at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB) unsafe for the families, friends, and loved ones of the deceased including those personnel providing mortuary and memorial services.
Despite the health risk and the possibility of losing their own lives in the battle against the COVID-19, the members of the Grave Services Unit, Army Support Command, Philippine Army bravely and painstakingly performed without letup their duties and functions to provide excellent mortuary and memorial services to deceased AFP personnel and authorized non-military personnel interred at the LNMB as their final resting place regardless of the cause of death.
The Non-Cremated Covid-19 Confirmed deaths, from a religious sect that prohibits cremation, are still provided with proper burial honors and memorial services as a fitting recognition of their honorable and faithful services rendered to the nation. Under these circumstances, however, the unit takes extra precautions by strictly observing the minimum public health standards and the mandatory wearing of Personal Protective Equipment (e.g. disposable gown, face shield/goggles, and N95 Mask) during the conduct of interment ceremonies. It is very heartbreaking to note that only the immediate family members (maximum of ten (10) persons) are allowed to witness the interment ceremony following the IATF guidelines.
The unit also commissioned the services of CBRN Company, EODBN, ASCOM, PA to disinfect the burial sites, the military personnel, and the civilian human resource involved to include the immediate family members before and after the funeral services.
The Grave Services Unit would like to assure our stakeholders and the visiting public that the Libingan ng mga Bayani will remain open throughout this COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to serve our fallen heroes no matter the odds. The usual schedule of interment every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday remains the same.
Stay safe everyone!