Manila North Cemetery

Aerial view of Cementerio del Norte (1928)

The Manila North Cemetery was formerly part of La Loma Cemetery, but was separated as an exclusively Catholic burial ground.[2] The cemetery formerly known as Cementerio del Norte[3] was laid out in 1904.[4]

The cemetery in its entirety was once called Paang Bundok, the area National Hero Jose Rizal selected as his final resting place. The current Paang Bundok is now a barangay located before the cemetery grounds.[5]

During the Japanese occupation of the Philippines in World War II the cemetery became the site of atrocities, with accounts that Imperial Japanese forces led by General Tomoyuki Yamashita brutally killed more than 2,000 unarmed noncombatants in the cemetery from October to November 1944.[3]

The cemetery being one of the oldest cemeteries in the metropolis is evident on the different designs of mausoleums that reflect the prevailing architectural style in the Philippines during the period they were constructed. The styles range from simple, plain-painted with a patch of greenery, to very complex designs that contain reliefs that are difficult to carve while also having different colors.

Many people already live inside the cemetery with some of them serving as caretakers of the mausoleums where they also stay to survive. When the families or owners of the mausoleums come, especially during and after All Soul's Day, the families transfer to other places. In addition, the informal settlers often serve as informal tour guides, bringing visitors to tombs of famous people and discussing the oral history of the area.[4] Others take advantage of the quantity of visitors during the Allhallowtide holiday, setting up stalls to sell drinks and snacks, and providing visitors other services like renting out their toilets.[6]

Clearing operations made in 2019 destroyed the shanties and other obstructions inside the cemetery, displacing the families who lived in the makeshift homes and in the mausoleums.[7]

The remains of key figures in Philippine history such as former Presidents Sergio Osmeña, Ramón Magsaysay and Manuel Roxas; historian Epifanio de los Santos; and celebrities as actor Fernando Poe Jr. are buried in the cemetery.[9]

Most of the people have their tombs on the main avenue of the cemetery while other notable people are located near the main entrance.[4]

• María Agoncillo–Aguinaldo (1879–1963), wife of Emilio Aguinaldo. Her tomb once occupied the center of the Mousoleo de los Veteranos de la Revolución, but was exhumed and reburied at the Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit, Cavite.
• Melchora Aquino (1812–1919), also known as Tandang Sora and Mother of Katipunan. Formerly buried at Mousoleo de los Veteranos de la Revolución, whose remains were later transferred to the Tandang Sora National Shrine in Quezon City.
• Arcadio Arellano (1872–1920), architect
• Juan Arevalo, patriot, son of Bonifacio Flores Arevalo, buried at Mousoleo de los Veteranos de la Revolución, Assembly Member (Declaration of Philippine Independence, Cavite-Viejo, Province of Cavite, 12 June 1898)
• Iggy Arroyo (1950–2012), former congressman of Negros Occidental (2004–12)
• Ladislao Bonus (1854–1908), also called "Father of the Philippine Opera."
• José Corazón de Jesús (1896–1932), poet known as Huseng Batute. Lyricist of the famed protest anthem Bayan Ko
• Tomas Cloma (1904–1996), president of the Philippine Maritime Institute (now PMI Colleges). His mausoleum is shaped like a ship, titled SS Last Voyage.
• Mariano Jesús Cuenco (1888–1964), 4th President of the Senate of the Philippines
• Doña Narcisa Buencamino vda. de León (Doña Sisang) (1877–1966), Founder and matriarch of LVN Pictures, Inc. (The "L" of LVN)
• Marcelo H. del Pilar (1850–1896), Philippine author and propagandist. Formerly buried at the Mausoleo de los Veteranos de la Revolución under the name Plaridel, was later exhumed and reburied in his house in Marcelo H. del Pilar Shrine Bulacan, Bulacan.

Mausoleo de los Veteranos de la Revolución

• Pío del Pilar (1865–1931), Philippine revolutionary figure. Buried at the Mousoleo de los Veteranos de la Revolución.
• Manuel Earnshaw (1862–1936), former resident commissioner to the US Congress
• Isauro Gabaldon (1875–1942), former senator and resident commissioner to the US Congress
• Licerio Geronimo (1855–1924), Revolutionary general. Initially buried at the Mausoleo de los Veteranos de la Revolución, his remains were then reinterred in the base of the Licerio Geronimo Memorial located in Rodriguez, Rizal on February 20, 1993.
• Pedro Guevara (1879–1938), former senator and resident commissioner to the US Congress
• Francis Burton Harrison (1873–1957), former American governor-general
• Adriano Hernández (1870–1925), Brigadier General of the Philippine Revolution and Military Strategist and the local hero of Dingle, Iloilo. Buried at Mausoleo de los Veteranos de la Revolución.
• Amado Hernández (1903–1970), labor leader, Philippine literary icon and National Artist for Literature.
• Atang de la Rama-Hernández (1905–1991), wife of Amado, kundiman singer, actress, and National Artist for Theater and Music.
• Félix Resurrección Hidalgo (1853–1913), painter
• Pilar Hidalgo-Lim (1893–1973), one of the founders of Girl Scouts of the Philippines
• Emilio Jacinto (1875–1899), patriot, the "Brains of the Katipunan". Formerly buried at the Manila North Cemetery was later exhumed and reburied in Himlayang Pilipino in 1975.
• Arsenio Lacson (1912–1962), former Manila mayor
• Benito Legarda y Tuason (1853–1915), vice-president of the Malolos Congress and first resident commissioner of the Philippines to the US Congress.
• Alfredo Lim (1929–2020), former Manila mayor NBI Director DILG Secretary and senator[10]
• Justo Lukban (1863-1927), Major of the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine–American War. Member of the Malolos Congress. Third Mayor of Manila.
• Ramon Magsaysay (1907–1957), 7th President. His wife Luz Banzon Magsaysay is also buried with him, as are his immediate family members.
• Genaro Magsaysay (1924–1978), former Senator of the Philippines and Representative of the Zambales

Magsaysay Memorial

• Tomas Morato (1887–1965), mayor of Calauag, Quezon, then first appointed mayor of Quezon City
• Gregoria de Jesús-Nakpil (1875–1943), wife of Andrés Bonifacio, later wife of Julio Nakpil
• Juan Nakpil (1899–1986), national artist for architecture

Juan Nakpil Memorial

• Julio Nakpil (1867–1960), composer, father of Juan Nakpil.
• Mariano Noriel (1864–1915), Filipino general who fought during the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine–American War. Formerly buried at the Mausoleo de los Veteranos de la Revolución.
• Román Ongpin (1847–1912), businessman, philanthropist, nationalist, and civic citizen
• Sergio Osmeña (1878–1961), 4th President. His wife Esperanza Limjap-Osmeña is also buried with him.
• Jose Fortich Ozamiz (1898–1944), former senator and first provincial governor of Misamis Occidental.
• Quintin B. Paredes (1884–1973), former House Speaker and senator
• Pedro Paterno (1857–1911), 2nd Prime Minister of the Philippines under the First Republic. Formerly Buried at the Manila North Cemetery. His Remains were transferred at San Agustin Church.
• Carmen Planas (1914–1964), first elected female councilor of Manila
• Fernando Poe, Sr. (1916–1951), film producer, director, actor
• Fernando Poe, Jr. (Ronald Allan K. Poe) (1939–2004), movie actor, 2004 presidential candidate, and National Artist

Poe Family Mausoleum

• Andy Poe (1943-1995), An actor and brother of Fernando Poe Jr.
• Conrad Poe (1948-2010), An actor and half-brother of Fernando Poe Jr.
• Mariano Ponce (1863–1918), active member of the Propaganda Movement.
• Manuel L. Quezon (1878–1944), Commonwealth President (1935-1944). Formerly buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Transferred to Quezon Memorial Circle Museum in 1979.
• Aurora Quezón (1888–1949), First Lady, consort of Manuel Quezon. Also transferred to Quezon Memorial Circle Museum in 2005.
• Claro M. Recto (1890–1960), former senator and Spanish-language author
• Isabelo delos Reyes (1864–1938), politician, labor union activist, and a founder of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente.
• Paciano Rizal (1852–1930), oldest brother of José Rizal. Remains later transferred to Los Baños, Laguna in 1985.
• Owen Robyns-Owen, Chief Officer, British Merchant Navy (died: January 9, 1945 at the age of 67), is the only British Commonwealth war grave in the cemetery.[11]
• José E. Romero (1897–1978), former representative of Negros Oriental, senator, first Philippine ambassador to the United Kingdom, and Secretary of Education. His second wife, Elisa Zuñiga Villanueva (1910–1999), is also buried with him.
• Manuel A. Roxas (1892–1948), 5th President.
• Gerardo "Gerry" Roxas, Sr. (1924–1982), former senator
• Gerardo A. Roxas, Jr. (1960–1993), former representative of Capiz, son of Gerardo Roxas Sr.
• Trinidad Roxas (1899–1995), wife of former President Manuel Roxas and former First Lady.
• Epifanio de los Santos (1871–1928), historian and former statesman. EDSA, is named after him.
• Hilarion "Larry" Silva (1937–2004), comedian and politician
• Andres Solomon (also known as "Tugo" or "Togo") (1905–1952), actor
• Trinidad Tecson (1848–1928), revolutionary nurse
• Lilian Velez (1924–1948), a singer-actress of the mid and late 1940s and dubbed as the Singing Sweetheart of Philippines Movies, who was murdered by her co-actor, Narding Anzures on June 26, 1948.
• Pancho Villa (1901–1925), a boxer, the first Asian Flyweight World Champion.
• Antonio Villegas (1928–1984), former Manila mayor. Formerly buried in Reno, Nevada.
• Teodoro Yangco (1861–1939), former resident commissioner to the United States Congress and businessman for whom Yangco Market is named.
• Dick Israel (1947–2016), movie and television actor, formerly of ABS-CBN and Viva Films.
• Rafael "Liling" R. Roces Jr. (1912–1944), Filipino journalist, writer, patriot, World War II spy, hero, and martyr.
• 28 victims of Asociacion De Damas De Filipinas fire tragedy on December 3, 1998. Buried in unmarked graves.

• The Museum Foundation of the Philippines and Carlos Celdran's Walk This Way both used to hold walking tours the Chinese Cemetery, North Cemetery and La Loma Cemetery.
• Manila North Cemetery and Chinese Cemetery have a trove of funerary architecture. Mausoleums are designed to look like Chinese pagodas, Hindu Shikhara temples, Egyptian pyramids guarded by Sphinxes, Greek- and Roman-inspired temples, Romanesque-type churches, even Art Deco mausoleums.[12]
• The Manila North Cemetery was the plot setting for the episode 'Paa' of the 2010 horror film Cinco.

• Marcos Museum and Mausoleum
• Quezon Memorial Circle
• La Loma Cemetery
• Manila Chinese Cemetery
• Libingan ng mga Bayani
• Manila American Cemetery and Memorial
• Manila South Cemetery
• Scouting memorials

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Manila North Cemetery.

• Cemeteries are a time capsule of RP history, culture
• CWGC: Manila North Cemetery