Albay family uses humor to honor departed father

By Connie Calipay, Philippine News Agency

BRANDED TOMB. This year’s design of the tomb of Jose Relleve from Oas, Albay is inspired by a watch brand, as shown in this photo taken on Thursday (Oct. 31, 2024). The Relleve family has a unique way of honoring their departed father’s memory, incorporating his favorite brands of shoes, liquor, food, and perfume in the design of his tomb. (Photo courtesy of Angelle Relleve via PNA)

LEGAZPI CITY – A tradition that some may not understand or dismiss as mere showmanship is, for the Relleve family, the best way to honor their departed father.

For more than 10 years, the family has faithfully observed the tradition of grave “branding,” which they began in 2013, as a means to keep alive the memories of their father, Jose, who passed away in 2011.

By painting the tomb of the head of the family with logos of his favorite brands, the Relleve family of Oas, Albay has captured the attention of the public, both online and offline, with their unique tradition laden with humor.

Every year, the patriarch’s tomb has become a local attraction, as passersby could not help but be curious about the brand that the family will feature for “Undas.”

“Whenever my siblings and I get together, we talk about our father. It’s always a joyful occasion, and we reminisce about his favorite things, which gives us a fresh perspective on our memories of him,” Angelle Roa Relleve said in an interview.

“We want to remember what he always said: ‘If you can do it today, do it now; don’t wait for tomorrow.’ Our dad hated procrastination. That’s why, when we were young, we followed his rules obediently; otherwise, there would be consequences,” she recalled with a smile.

Angelle said that this year, she and her four siblings, along with their mother, Teresita, chose to paint their father’s favorite brand of watch, Citizen.

However, she said this was before her sister gave their father a Seiko watch as a birthday gift when she worked abroad.

“No matter what other watches he received, that was the only one he wore. Now, we realize it was his way of easing his sadness when my sister was away,” she said, as she remembered her father as a disciplined man and a stickler for time, but who had an uncanny sense of humor.

Strengthened family bonds

Angelle said their grave branding tradition has strengthened their family connections.

“When we gather, we always share joyful stories about our father, so we will not stop this tradition. We promise as siblings to keep his memory alive year after year,” she said, with tears in her eyes.

The Relleve family holds their memories close to their hearts, knowing that their departed loved one is happy.

“Dad is someone we will never grow tired of,” she added.

Some of the brands they have honored in previous years were Adidas in 2013, Ferrari in 2014, Starbucks in 2015, Johnnie Walker in 2016, Lacoste in 2017, and Bulgari in 2018.

Also M&Ms in 2019, Doublemint in 2020, Alpine in 2021, Jollibee in 2022, Tancho Pomade in 2023, and Citizen Watch this year.