Report on Trip to Binan: The St Nathaniel crematorium and Forest Lake Memorial Park and Chapels

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Rizal Philippines
January 31, 2017

Yesterday, in the absence of a driver, I went to Binan Laguna to see the blessing and inauguration of the St. Nathaniel Crematorium owned by Mr. Joshua Kim of New Life Techwin.  My objective was to:  1.  Assist them improve their business (as if our business is flourishing)    2.  To learn from the operations,   3.   Have joint of business of promoting the memorial plan company and cremation package.   Although I left 7 am from Angono, I arrived at 11 am at Binan, all ready late for the 11 o clock opening

St Nathaniel Crematorium of Techwin

I was met by their driver Tony who is from Cabuyao at the Olivarez complex.   And these were the things I found out:

1.  The crematorium is a joint venture between Techwin and the city of Binan.  They have a 70:30 sharing.   Binan leases out the land, Mr. Joshua puts up the building and the machine.

2.  The facilities are  located in the city cemetery which is about 10 hectares and fully occupied.   The city removed the other structures and housed the remains in 8 level body crypts.  The cemetery is located next to a memorial park which has a common row abutting the Manabat St.

3.  The cremation fees range from from P13,000 to indigent residents of Binan to P20,000 to non residents  Bone cremation is one half of that of regular body cremation.  I suggested that the company sell packages.

4.  Their crematorium is simply constructed, low slung, with Porte Cortero in front, about 50 sm customers area.   Even the crematorium area is low ceilinged.  The crematorium is lined parallel to the street. It has no industrial equipment like blowers and steel doors.  The exit at the back though is 3 x 2 sliding door for ventilation

                                 Mr Joshua and execs of Forest Lake Chapels

                                             The door to the crematorium

                                       The SerenityTechwin cremation machine

                                      /The customer waiting area

                                     Flower wreaths are the only ones that mark the inauguration
                                         no tarps or banners

                                  The view of Binan cemetery from the crematorium

                                   The St. Nathaniel staff;  Arlyn the coordinator is second from left

                                       The church service in Korean, done by their pastor

                               Square bench and a marble table near wings of the crematorium

Binan City Cemetery

         5 level bone crypts where bones are transferred after 5 year in body crypts (apartment type)  They are more expensive to construct that Mr Joshuas ash crypts

                                    The eight layer body crypts

         The cemetery being upgraded to look like a memorial                                     park

    With a statue over a structure filled with bone crypts

   Another set of body crypts at the eastern side, about a                                           100 rows
                 

      Before the crematorium 50 rows of 8 layer body crypts

                   New city cemetery ceremonial chapels

                   Sign of congestion at the entrance

       The cemetery is along Manabat St. at Bo. San Antonio


Forest Lake Memorial Park

It is located some 3 km from Olivarez, or 6 km from the Binan City cemetery.   It about 20 years old, covers some 14 hectares and with over 30,000 plots

They have 4 chapels complete with family room and rents for P12,500 per night.  It cost them P25 million to build.  They are trying to expand into adjoining property but it will set them back by P10,000/sm raw land.

Some insights from Mr. Syyap the chairman:

1.  They have superb sales force;  and they are dedicated to Forest Lake because they know the FL can deliver the products.  They are also well taken care of, so they will die for FL

2,  They have 250,000 satisfied buyers all over the country and what other things can we offer them?  Prepaid services (and may be loans)

3.  They upped their PC to 20%  (from 12%) because according to Mabini Juan of AAI their current pc will only last for 25 years;  20% will last for 50 years

4.  For JV it is 65 to 35 in their favor after removing about 50% from the top:

    20% pc

    20% ME

     5% management fee

   12% VAT

5.  For the PC in order to be viable, and in order to make their jv happy, they upped the price of their plots, bought the expensive plots, paid off the jv, and the PC is selling the plots (choice) at higher prices.

                          4 memorial chapels costing P25m
                           built along the ROW, 12,500 rrental

                       Bamboo curtain plants at the ROW

                         The chairman said we have better
                          landscaping and interment

6.  He said that it is the high passion and standards that gives value to the memorial park.   If the top honcho is gone, then the beauty and exceptional quality of the park vanishes.