THE DAVAO City Cemetery Management Board (DCCMB) has approved the proposal to rehabilitate three public cemeteries worth a combined ₱487 million, a lawmaker here said.
Councilor Ragde Ibuyan, committee chair on government enterprises, presented the update during the Pulong Pulong sa Dabawenyos on Tuesday, Oct. 7.
“We saw that rehabilitation is needed,” Ibuyan said, noting the board approved the proposed rehabilitation budgets on Aug. 20.
The proposal covers the Panacan Public Cemetery at P92 million, the Tibungco Public Cemetery at P158 million, and the Ma-a Public Cemetery at P237 million.
Planned improvements include drainage system, roads, fencing, gates and buildings where wakes are held.
The proposals have been submitted to the Local Finance Committee, which has the authority to approve the budgets.
The City Government of Davao has reconstituted the DCCMB through Executive Order No. 4, series of 2026, to strengthen its mandate to oversee the management of public cemeteries in the city.
Under the new order, the city mayor will serve as chairperson, with the city economic enterprise manager as co-chairperson.
With the increasing demand for burial spaces, the new board will lead consultations and planning for modernization and rehabilitation of existing city public cemeteries.
Ibuyan said the rehabilitation and modernization of public cemeteries is expected to contribute to the city’s revenue.
The Davao City Economic Enterprise (CEE) oversees ten public cemeteries and one crematorium.
The Tagakpan Public Cemetery is among the top performing in 2025, collecting over P3 million against a target of P700,000.
Maximo Macalipes Jr., CEE manager, reported the Tagakpan Public Cemetery collected P3,013,558.59, after it reopened in 2024 following its rehabilitation.
The cemetery stands on a 2.3-hectares lot with a total of 564 units of compartmentalized niches, 560 ossuary units, 174 mass grave niches, a Muslim cemetery, open space for Muslim burial, and a bone depository.
