Al Jazeera Frames - Cemetery People
Al Jazeera Frames

Cemetery People

More than 6,000 people live among the tombs of Manila’s Navotas Cemetery in the Philippines.

 

By Alessandro Molatore 

 

Manila, the capital of the Philippines, is not only a city of twenty million people but is one of the most densely populated cities in the world.

The lack of space has forced the poorest of the poor to build their homes among the tombs of Navotas Cemetery, located on the shores of Manila Bay.

More than 6,000 people live in cramped conditions among and on top of the tombs, which are stacked up to eight coffins high.

Serving as a trustworthy guide, the smiling and talkative Pastor Jon leads us through the unimaginable world of ‘The Cemetery People,’ where families live, sleep and even play among the graves.