Cemeteries have service plans that can be paid in advance, as death can come suddenly.
That it is preferable to be prepared in case death arrives without prior notice and thus avoid family members that the pain of the departure is compounded by the concern of seeking financing for funeral expenses. People who have acquired vaults, niches or other spaces in advance even before the COVID-19 pandemic agree on this.
Roberto Muñoz acquired a vault for him in 2015 at the Patrimonial Cemetery, as a result of the death of her mother, something that happened suddenly, as the lady was in good health.
“That’s when you really see the need. When my mother died I had to be in all that hustle and bustle, even lending money, because at that time I had no money. That’s when I told myself that it was necessary to have bought the space for when I have to leave (die) ”, said the 42-year-old man.
In the Patrimonial cemetery, of the Guayaquil Charity Board, where there are ten types of properties (mausoleums, mausoleum grounds, double lot, mausoleum vault, vault, double vault, nursery vault, remains niche, double remains niche and cinerary niche), sales for future use have been almost on par with those of necessity immediate over the last five years (2016-2020).
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This shows that the culture of prevention has gained space among people.
In said cemetery in the aforementioned period there were 6,171 spaces sold for immediate use and 5,620 for future occupation, according to data provided by Carlos Espinel, manager of cemeteries operations of the Board of Charity.
In the Metropolitan Pantheon, also owned by the Board of Charity, the sale of spaces for future occupation (2,242) was higher than that for immediate use (838), between 2016 and 2020.
In this cemetery there are eleven types of goods: mausoleums, chapel, ash plot, triple burial mound, double lot, triple lot, vault, vault for toddler, niche for remains, double niche for remains and ash niche.
“I decided to make the purchase since in 2008 a relative died and due to financial problems it became very difficult to get money for the chest and then the most difficult thing came, to cover the rent of the vault. That’s why I accepted the offered plan ”, stated Gerardo Ponce, who next year will finish paying for a vault in Jardines de Esperanza.
This, he said, was offered to him during the funeral of an acquaintance in 2018.
This newspaper asked the cemetery for information on sales for the last five years, but only provided data corresponding to this year.
From March to September there have had 8,553 burials and cremations.
“One of the advantages is that after the pandemic, people’s awareness is greater regarding the acquisition of a funeral service in anticipation, however, we cannot ignore either that the economic situation of many Ecuadorians has been affected, Therefore, despite being aware, purchasing power has decreased. With this we could say that people have improved their level of awareness by 30% ”, said Communication personnel.
In the framework of the Day of the Dead, the cemeteries will receive those who come to visit their deceased relatives. The suggestion is to maintain the biosecurity measures in place for the COVID-19 pandemic.
The date is used in some cemeteries to offer vaults and other available goods.
“I have seen the case of families that have not been prepared and beyond the anguish, the pain of losing a relative, there is another anguish that would be the economic one, that of not having that resolved. And many times the relatives are involved in debts and similar things to give a Christian and proper burial to those who die, “said Dayse Arreaga.
Funeral services that can be paid for in advance
She said that eight years ago she received the title to a vault that she bought in the Parque de la Paz cemetery in La Aurora parish, in the Daule canton, a neighbor of Guayaquil.
The 54-year-old woman says that this initiative arose when she was 20, but due to the annoyance of her mother, who upon learning of the purchase thought that the vault was for her, withdrew from the acquisition.
“My mother once found me the papers that I had signed, the contract to acquire a vault. That day my mother found that document and the truth is that she did not understand it as something temporary, she did not understand it that way. He got mad at me a lot, he told me how was it possible that I was thinking about his death. I didn’t understand the reasons (…), I put that aside, I discarded it, I felt so bad because of the impression my mother had, ”said Arreaga.
But years later, married with two children, she took up the idea and now has a vault that has already been canceled.
Last week, this newspaper requested information from the cemetery about the sales of the last five years, but there was no response. (I)
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