Before Mandaleños remember their deceased relatives on 1 and 2 November this year, Mandaluyong City’s public cemetery has already implemented digital technology in the basic services offered at the Garden of Life Park public cemetery.

Mayor Menchie Abalos and other city officials inspected the public cemetery’s directory kiosk, 3D online directory, and database system, the first of its kind in the country, as well as the preparations made for the observance of Undas.

Visiting residents and relatives will spend less time looking for the exact location of the niche or columbary (burial vault) of their loved ones, thanks to the Garden of Life Park’s directory kiosk setup at the cemetery’s main office. Similar to a digital concierge, relatives only need to enter the name of the deceased and they will be shown a map where the niche or columbary is exactly located.

The park’s 3D online directory is similar to the directory kiosk, but is available online. It is accessible via a link at Mandaluyong City’s website, www.mandaluyong.gov.ph. This service, which can be used on a desktop computer or mobile phone, is ideal for people living outside Metro Manila or abroad who cannot personally visit the cemetery.

Meanwhile, the cemetery’s database system is the customized computer application dedicated to the employees of the Garden of Life Park to improve the operations and delivery of basic services to Mandaleños.

“Through the use of technology, data can easily be viewed and updated, and services can be delivered faster and easier,” said Engr. Arman Comandao, head of the City Planning Department that created the digital services. “We can now easily look at the information of the cemetery, such as the population or the available spaces we have at the cemetery.”

“We wanted to improve the delivery of services not only by providing the proper infrastructure but also by applying technology. This is just one example of our efforts which we hope to implement in other government services,” said Mayor Abalos.