Summary
Highlights
The video introduces the Manila North Cemetery, a lively community despite being a place for the dead. It details the effort to obtain a filming permit due to strict rules, and introduces Bet, a lifelong resident of the cemetery who offers to guide the crew. The cemetery, established in 1904, became a home for many urban poor by the 1970s and 80s due to increasing poverty and housing difficulties.
The cemetery features graves of famous individuals, including a former president, which are notably extravagant. It also has cheaper graves where people are stacked. The video shows how residents live in and around graves, some building makeshift houses, others residing directly in mausoleums. It highlights the unique challenges, like walking over graves to get home, and the temporary nature of some residents' stays as families of the deceased might reclaim their plots. The residents often make a living by running small stores on top of graves or taking care of them.
All Saints Day (November 1st) is depicted as the busiest and most rewarding day for the cemetery's residents, as families visit graves and bring gifts. The video showcases houses built within graves, where multiple family members live, and discusses the implications of sleeping on top of tombs. It also touches upon the lack of government support for these residents and the challenges they face in finding employment due to their address.
The video delves into the daily routines and challenges faced by the residents, including where they go to the toilet (some build their own, others use plastic bags) and shower (washing with buckets outside). It raises concerns about water contamination from decaying bodies. Despite the hardships, the community is described as tight-knit and supportive. The biggest struggles mentioned are the lack of government support, income, and discrimination when seeking jobs.
President Duterte’s war on drugs significantly impacted this community, as poverty led some to drug dealing for survival. This resulted in increased police patrols, fear, and stigmatization of entire neighborhoods. The video also shows a local preparing cheese sticks and fried bananas for sale, highlighting their entrepreneurial spirit amidst dire circumstances.
The video highlights the varied living situations, from multi-level graves with roof terraces to makeshift houses. It reveals that some grave owners lock their crypts to prevent people from living in them and that raising a large grave can be very expensive. The cemetery is also home to a very old Chinese temple, adding to its unique landscape. The children living there see it as a playground. The video concludes by emphasizing the community's resilience, camaraderie, and ongoing fight for dignity and better conditions, while also soliciting donations to help the residents.