La Loma Cemetery


The La Loma Catholic Cemetery was opened in 1884 and is largely located in Caloocan, Metro Manila. A portion of the southern part of the cemetery is located in Manila.

History

The La Loma Cemetery is one of the oldest cemetery in Manila with an area of slightly less than. After an earthquake struck Manila in 1863, the Spanish authorities saw the need to find a new cemetery for the city as Paco Cemetery was already running at full capacity. The task was given to Vicente Carranceja, the Inspector General for Public Works. With a budget of P30,000 from the Ayuntamiento he worked with Marcelo Ramirez and began the project on August 3, 1864. The cemetery opened in 1884 and was originally known as Cementerio de Binondo as the area was then under the jurisdiction of Santa Cruz during the Spanish Colonial Period.
Spanish officials warned Filipino rebels that once they joined the uprising, they can no longer be buried in Catholic cemeteries on the consecrated ground like La Loma and thus denied of what then was considered a "decent" burial in their time of death.
During the early phases of the Philippine-American War, the cemetery's chapel was the focal point of the Battle of Caloocan. Gen. Arthur MacArthur and his forces occupied the chapel and Blockhouse 2, while Filipino forces under Gen. Antonio Luna were on the northern end of the cemetery.
Campo Santo de La Loma is one of the few sites that escaped ruin during World War II in the 1945 Battle of Manila where most of the city's collection of architecture was destroyed. That leaves it as a crucial piece of the country's historical heritage of architecture. An anti-aircraft mortar launcher can even be seen in the cemetery grounds as well, that still stands today.

Notable burials