The 131-year-old body of a man at the Bacolod City Cemetery is still intact and every year his family takes it out of its coffin at the family mausoleum to be bathed and viewed on Nov. 1.

Mateo E. Cordova died at the age of 66 on July 28, 1941, and was embalmed by his brother-in-law, Aurelio Alisbo, who preserved him with embalming fluid that allows his family to take his body out for viewing at the family mausoleum at the Burgos Cemetery in Bacolod City every year on all Saints Day.

On Sunday, as his family had done for 66 years, Lolo Mateo's body was bathed and given a fresh new pair of pajamas and socks in time for the annual viewing, Bacolod Councilor Catalino Alisbo, son of Aurelio, said.

The councilor's family owns the Alisbo Funeral Chapels in Bacolod City.

"Before, Lolo Mateo's body used to lie on a bed with a mattress and with pillows and a blanket but the glass enclosure broke and a rat went inside and his dentures were stolen in the 1980s so we decided to put his body in a casket," the councilor said.

"But the casket can be opened anytime for viewing," he said. "Lolo Mateo's body has shrunk and his color has turned brown like driftwood but the body is still intact, including the hair, nails and facial features," he said.

He also said Lolo Mateo was the one who established the first funeral parlor in Bacolod City and he wanted his body preserved forever.

"So Lolo Mateo built his own mausoleum and even practiced lying on the bed where his corpse would be laid to rest when he passed away," Alisbo said, adding that they are just carrying out his wishes.*CPG

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