For a privileged few, only the finest in funeral arrangements聽 will do.
Pop icon Michael Jackson had one.聽 And so did the late Cebu vice governor Greg Sanchez Jr.
They were each laid to rest in solid bronze, 24-karat gold-plated Promethean caskets manufactured by the Batesvill Casket Co. of the United States.
When Sanchez passed away April 29 after losing his battle with lung cancer, he was聽 given the best casket available in the upscale Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes in Cebu City.
The nine-day vigil wake was held聽 in the Crystal Palace, where visitors and other mourners gathered to condole with the family in聽 a spacious hall that ensured privacy and luxury for聽聽 P100,000 a day聽 .
The casket, priced at $35,000 or P1.7 million, had been in the showroom for two years.
鈥淲e thought it would stay there聽 for 10 years,鈥 said Cathleen Dychangco-Anzani, whose family owns Cosmopolitan.
鈥淲hen we bought that for inventory, the supplier was asking if we were sure about the purchase because they didn鈥檛 think there was a market for it here.鈥
Sanchez, a civil engineer, had a successful construction business before he joined the government in 1986 as an OIC Provincial Board member after the Edsa People Power revolt.
But it was his聽 investment in probiotics that made him a multimillionaire . A LactoPafi line of health tonics聽 exported in several countries is聽 part of a聽 thriving business continued today by his eldest daughter Gigi Sanchez-Zaballero.
When Sanchez passed away, the family first looked at getting a聽 Cherry casket, another top-of-the-line product in the Batesville wooden casket line. This was made of cherrywood, a聽 solid hardwood聽 preferred by most Westerners for funerals.
鈥淗ere in the Philippines, we don鈥檛 appreciate聽 wooden caskets much because we see many of that here,鈥 said Anzani.
鈥淪o the family chose聽 the Promethean casket because they wanted their dad to be remembered as someone well loved and聽 worthy of such honor,鈥 she said.
Anzani said funerals聽聽 today聽 can be prepared in different ways and themes in accordance with the family鈥檚 preferences.
鈥淪ome like it themed after the favorite sports of the deceased. Others want to follow customs, like the Chinese who have their own rituals,鈥 she said.
Personalized
A package could cost P8,000 or run to as much as聽 P3 million to P5 million.
鈥淥ur services are聽 personalized. We always talk to the family聽 about details from the flowers to the embroidery panels, the color of the casket lining and more,鈥 she said.
The聽 Cosmopolitan鈥檚 Crystal Palace in Nivel Hills is the most expensive venue in Cebu for a vigil wake.
It has a 450-seating capacity for those with large families and is fully air-conditioned. It also has a presidential suite where the family can sleep and rest, said Anzani. Flower arrangements can cost as much as P60,000.
The cost of a cemetery lot in Cebu聽聽 depends聽 on the location, services,聽 the security and solemnity it offers.
The Cebu Memorial Park聽 in Banilad, Cebu City, is already fully occupied although some lot owners sell their rights to a burial plot at P30,000 per square meter, said Anzani.
While most Filipinos still prefer the traditional funeral with a vigil wake and internment, cremation is becoming more popular, said Anzani.
鈥淭here are urns that cost more than the Promethean gold-plated casket. I saw one solid-gold diamond-studded urn in one of my travels abroad, which I鈥檓 sure cost more than the Promethean casket,鈥 she said.
Cosmopolitan also offers a service where part of the human remains are sent to Switzerland to be 鈥渃ultured鈥澛 into real diamonds, which can be set into jewelry pieces worn by the loved ones of the deceased.
Despite these novel alternatives,聽 Anzani said most Filipinos still prefer to have their loved ones laid to rest in a casket.
鈥淥thers may spend millions while others keep it simple. What鈥檚 important is how we celebrate that passing by honoring our loved ones who have left to聽 join our Creator,鈥 Anzani said.