Dateline: Oct 31

This week, Dateline reporter Joel Tozer travels to the Philippines to meet the unique communities who live in cemeteries and care for the dead.

Death is a taboo topic for many. While major cities are consumed with creating space for the living, some are running out of room for the dead.

The Philippines is overflowing with people and the dead. Rural poverty has forced thousands to flock to the capital, Manila, in search of a better life. But once there, overcrowding and a lack of housing force many to choose between a life in the slums or a life in a cemetery. Dateline finds that life amongst the dead means a solid roof over your head and a job trading in the economy of death.

Pasay City Cemetery is a playground, a workplace and home to around 300 families. Residents carry out their daily chores, while streams of grieving families pass by to bury their loved ones.

Celia Garcia has called a tomb her home for the past 10 years. She joined her husband-to-be who lived and worked in the cemetery.

“When I met him I was working outside of the cemetery as a cleaner in a restaurant,” Celia tells Dateline. “My husband was a caretaker of the office, that’s why I’m here living — he brought me.

“First, I was afraid, but as time went along, I got used to it.”

But for these informal settlers, life in these government owned cemeteries is uncertain and the threat of eviction is always looming.

Cemetery administrator Christina works in an office that sits on top of the cemetery’s crematorium. She works with a small team who oversee more than 30,000 graves and tombs.

“The truth is we don’t condone them. We don’t like them living here. Not because we don’t like them, but because it’s not fair — this is a cemetery,” Christina tells Dateline.

“It’s a real pity that there are young children sleeping with the back touching the tomb. They are prone to sickness and germs. They are not safe here.”

Tuesday 31 October at 9.30pm on SBS.