Saturday, November 1, 2008

Jollibee, McDonalds management not affected over use of their company names for Cemeteries



SAN PABLO CITY – The two giant Fast food companies here namely Jollibee and McDonalds are not affected negatively by the common practice of people in this city to call two “rival” cemeteries as “Jollibee” and “McDonalds.”

A Crew Officer of Jollibee who identified himself as “Jes Rain” told the Barangay Newsweekly Wednesday that their company remains very productive in terms of customers and there was no indication that business slowed down.

“What I know is that the use of our company’s name is for people to locate without difficulty the said memorials. Our crews are also benefited because when somebody orders food products from those areas, customers would just say: ‘our house is few meters away from or before “Jollibee” (San Pablo Memorial Park).’”

The other memorial just opposite “Jollibee” is called “McDonalds” (or San Gabriel Memorial Garden).

“If the use of our company’s name is to help people facilitate their smooth and easy identification of the place and not any way violating or intended to malign our company’s identity, then it would just be alright,” a McDonalds’ San Pablo Branch officer who requested anonymity told the Barangay Newsweekly by phone.

The McDonald spokesman admitted that he did not even know that such practice is happening in San Pablo City. “Our food business remains strong since its establishment in the city. Sa palagay ko okay lang yan kung nakakatulong naman sa mga tao (I guess it’s just okay if it (use of McDo) would be at the service of the people.”

Jes Rain said, this practice of the San Pablenos is just a testimony that we are very popular in the consciousness of the people. And we are happy to know that we are being treated as “co-equal” or one which can be competitive of the food chain giant Mc Donalds.

The San Pablo Memorial Park and San Gabriel Memorial Garden are both located just after Teomora Village, Brgy. San Gabriel, which is about one kilometer away from the city proper.

There are two other cemeteries in the city which are also being named after two popular restaurants/food chains in the locality. One is “Prosperity Restaurants” in reference to the centuries-old San Pablo City Public Cemetery located along M. Leonor St. Cor. Maharlika Highway. The other one is the Himlayang San Pableno cemetery located at Brgy Wawa (Del Remedio), near the railroad area. It is called “Welcome” in reference to Welcome Restaurant located at the heart of the city.

Residents said, most of those who can’t afford the high cost of burial in the other three cemeteries are usually buried here.

The practice of naming the cemeteries with aliases, according to residents, started with the PSAF (Police Special Assistance Force) who made it easier for them to assign escorts to funeral processions by using short names of popular food chains rather than the cemeteries’ lengthy names.

The PSAF had noticed that San Gabriel Memorial Garden’s main gate is an Arc shape resembling the famous McDonald’s Arch symbol, this gave them the idea to use McDo as its name. What followed was the assigning of names for the rest of the cemeteries.

Meanwhile, the Parish of St. Gabriel Archangel, in Brgy. San Gabriel has announced its schedule of Masses in the parish Church and in the cemeteries and subsequent simultaneous blessings of all the tombs right after each Mass in the cemetery on All Saints Day and All Souls Day.

On All Saints Day, November 1, the First Mass is at 7:45 am at the Parish Church; Second Mass at 2:00 pm at the San Pablo Memorial Park (Jollibee); and Third Mass at 3:00 pm at San Gabriel Memorial Garden (McDo). On All Souls Day, the First Mass is at 7:45 am and second Mass at 6:30 pm both at the parish Church in San Gabriel.
FR. ROMULO PONTE