Close encounter with a couple embalmer

The story

He glanced at the table near him where a cold lifeless body was. There was something in the air inside the room, something he cannot explain. Hair stood at the back of his neck as cold wind enveloped him. He felt someone was watching him. But who could be, he was left alone in the morgue in the middle of the night. He threw one look on his only companion. He was so shocked that no voice escaped from him. Looking back at him was corpse’s eyes, the saddest eyes he ever saw.  

She laughed with amusement.

“Fortunately, I don’t have that kind of experience!” Jafe laughed again. “Ask him, mas matagal na siya sa service,” she pointed at the man sitting near her.

“Mas nakakatakot pa ang buhay kaysa sa patay,” Jopith couldn’t help but laughed, too.

We heard stories, creepy ones happened in morgues but for Jopith Echavez and Jafe Alba Echavez, they spent most of their time in a place where most people would not dare stay. A morgue or mortuary is a building or room (as in a hospital) used for the storage of human remains.

“Here in St. Therese Chapels we call it body preparation room,” explained Jopith.

The tandem

Jopith was named first in the oral and practical licensure examinations given by the Committee of Examiners for Undertakers and Embalmers. He is proud that his wife, Jafe is the only female licensed embalmer here in Iloilo City. They have been working for almost three years in St. Therese Chapels.

“I was a mall supervisor then and when we met, I decided to learn his kind of job,” Jafe, a computer graduate, said shyly.

“My family is in the funeral business for almost 12 years. Part of our trainings was in La Funeraria Paz in Manila,” Jopith said. He is a graduate of Hotel and Restaurant Management.

The couple took a review in Manila to earn their license.

They were trained on the proper handling and preparation of the body for embalming.

Embalming is the funeral custom of cleansing and disinfecting bodies after death. As far back as the ancient Egyptians, people have used oils, herbs and special body preparations to help preserve the bodies of their dead.

Jopith explained that there are three processes of embalming: arterial, intra-muscular and surface embalming.

“We use imported embalming machine. We can say that we offer a state of the art embalming,” he said.

Jafe usually prepares the body for viewing that includes make-up and dressing.

“I also do hair dyeing as requested by the family. If they want to make their deceased to look young, I can do that too. Anything the family requested,” Jafe said.

St. Therese observes family traditions, from old beliefs to feng-shui.

“Respect is very important in this kind of job. We don’t want to offend the departed one,” Jopith said while Jafe nodded in agreement.

The precautions

Being derma-surgeon morticians, Jopith and Jafe knew that they are prone to diseases. The couple and undertakers of St. Therese comply with double precautions. They use personal protective equipment which include laboratory gown, gloves, goggle, mask and head cap inside the body preparation room.

St. Therese requires its employees to have a medical check-up every six months. Health cards from the Department of Health were issued to all its drivers, undertakers and attendants.

• This article was published in Panay News August issue.
• PS.. wala lang maipost na bago  huhuh