SAN ANTONIO, Nueva Ecija — Ferdinand Malgapo, Jr. hoped he to keep the legacy of the family's funeral business alive.

While many in Nueva Ecija grow crops or sell agricultural products, the Malgapos' livelihood depends on the dead.

In fact, because of their hard work, their family already has morgues in the towns of Jaen, Cabiao, Zaragosa, Aliaga, and Santa Rosa.

One of the biggest is located here in Barangay Tikiw, and is run by Jocelyn Malgapo, Ferdinand's aunt.

Aside from the morgue, they also offer other services such as flower arrangements, funeral hearse, and a little bit of funeral planning.

"Bale ang punerarya kasi o pag-eembalsamo matagal ko na siyang nakikita talaga, Bata pa lang ako. 'Yung mismong tinitirhan namin punerarya rin talaga, punerarya ng lolo ko," Malgapo told ABS-CBN News.

(The funerary business, embalming... I have been seeing it since I was a child. We lived at a funeral parlor. It was owned by my grandfather.)

"Kaya pagdating ng high school sinasama na ako yung paga-ayos doon sa bahay yung pagbuburulan tapos ayun hanggang sa unti-unti, tuloy tuloy ko nang nakikita kung paano yung pag-embalsamo," he said.

(By high school, I was brought along to homes to help prepare for funerals. Eventually, I was able to watch how embalming was done.)

Growing up, Malgapo wanted to become a minister in their church, but he was influenced by his grandfather and his uncles to become an embalmer and help in the family business.

His interest grew when his uncles taught him how to embalm a body and prepare their appearance in the coffin. Later on, his grandfather helped him fund his studies for an embalming license.

"'Yung pinaka-una kong sama na paghe-helper sa kanila. Medyo naiilang ako tapos unang hawak ko palang doon sa patay pinagtahi na kaagad ako ng mismong pinagkuhanan ng ugat. Kaya medyo naiilang, ako parang hindi naman takot sa patay kaya lang takot ako na hindi ko magawa nang maayos," he said.

(I was a little hesitant the first time I helped prepare a body. It was my first time and they had me sew up the body. It wasn't that I was afraid, but I was worried I wouldn't do the job well.)

Malgapo made his TikTok account to address the stereotypes and stigmas around embalmers. He quickly became a sensation for his explainers and educational content regarding the dead.

Despite joining TikTok just last year, he has already gained nearly 700,000 followers. He also has more than 200,000 on Facebook and 77,000 on YouTube.

"Ka Morgue" said he wants to explain the process of embalming to the public and correct any misconceptions about his profession.

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"Siguro na-curious yung tao na magtanong sa akin. Ayun, sinubukan ko pong sumagot ng tanong. Hanggang sa may sinagot po ako doon na tanong na kung may gumagalaw pa bang patay, ayun sinagot ko yun, nagsimula pong mag-boom yung video," he said.

(I would answer questions from viewers. It really boomed when someone asked whether I have seen dead bodies move.)

"Maraming tanong eh... ang sa akin lang naman gusto kong masagot ko sila ng talagang maayos, sa maayos na paraan, sa maayos na salita para talaga. Kumbaga magkaroon sila ng kaalaman, maging educational yung video ko," he said.

(There are many questions sent in. For me, I just want to answer them correctly, in a proper way and using proper language. So they will gain knowledge, for my videos to be educational.)

MOTIVATION

Malgapo faces every cadaver without fear or disgust.

But embalming patients who had cancer always makes him sad since it reminds him of his mother who died of breast cancer in 2014.

His father, meanwhile, died of a heart attack in Saudi Arabia in 2008.

"Kaya ang nagiging mindset ko, pinahirapan ka man ng sakit na ito akong bahala sayo pagagandahin kita, ibabalik ko yung dating itsura mo," he said.

(So my mindset is: If being sick made you suffer, I will try to make you beautiful. I will restore how you used to look.)

The embalmer said he wants to have his own funeral parlor in the future, as this was his parents' dream.

"Sana dumating yung pagkakataon na sa lugar na gusto nilang magkaroon sila ng purinarya doon din ako magtatayo ng purinarya, sana loobin ng Ama mabigyan tayo ng pagkakataon itutuloy ko yun," he said.

(I hope that there will be a chance for me to put up a funeral parlor where they had planned to. I hope it is God's will that I get a chance to complete their name.)

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His aunt Jocelyn described him as helpful and kind, even if he was hard to wake up when new bodies get delivered to their morgue.

She was also hoping he would be able to continue their family legacy and brand, since their morgue here is something she and her late husband saved up for.

"Sabihin ko po ba 'yung totoo?" Jocelyn smiled.

"Si 'Ka Morgue' po ano 'yan, sobrang galing niya mag embalsamo talaga. Kuhang-kuha niya 'yung tinuro ng mister ko. Kasi 'yung mister ko 'yung nagturo sa kaniya eh," she said.

('Ka Morgue' is very good at embalming. He really picked up what my husband taught him.)

"Dahil sa pagvo-vlog niya, mas nakilala 'yung punerarya namin, mas lumaki 'yung kita ko mas dumami customers namin."

(Because of his blogging, our funeral parlor became better known. We got more customers.)

Malgapo's wife Denice, meanwhile, supports him — even if she said she needs to wake up and accompany him whenever he goes to the morgue.

"Walang oras 'yung gawa niya," she said. "Mine-make sure ko po na kunwari po kapag walang gawa bumili na tayo ng formaline baka mamaya wala ka na time bumili. Tapos pagka-make up bumili tayo ng make-up."

(There are no set hours in this kind of work. I help him by making sure we have supplies like formaline and makeup.)

Asked if she helps Malgapo put makeup on their patients, she answered in the affirmative, "pero magaling po siya."

DISCRIMINATION, THREATS

Malgapo said his profession is not short of discrimination and health threats, most especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He recalled their area being isolated during the health crisis, saying his experiences during this time hurt him.

"May time na doon sa tinitirahan namin, yung mga kapitbahay nagiging ilag sayo na parang sila pa yung, kakilala naman talaga namin yun pero sila pa talaga yung nagkakalat na huwag akong lapitan, huwag akong kausapin dahil nga baka may COVID ako," he said.

(There was a time when our neighbors avoided us and told people to avoid us because we might have COVID.)

He said that at the worst of the pandemic, the funeral parlor would have to work on seven to eight bodies a day.

"'Yung isa sa pinaka kumbaga pinanghinaan ako na parang, hindi naman sa ayaw...yun yung isang side na talagang pinanghihinaan ako bilang isang embalmer," he said.

(That really made me feel weak.)

Aside from this, embalmers face constant health threats, since they could contract some illnesses their patients have.

This includes, he said, rabies, HIV-AIDS, and hepatitis.

Some relatives of those who died have also refused to tell the real cause of death, he said, adding that puts funerary staff at risk.

NOTHING TO FEAR ABOUT MORGUES

Malgapo said there was nothing to fear about morgues, even if some people associate it with spine-chilling circumstances.

Embalming is also an honorable profession, he noted.

"Wala namang pinagkaiba 'yan sa operating room ng ospital. Dun inaayos o ginagamot ang mga pasyente," he said.

"Sa morgue naman, kami (embalsamador) ang pinaka-doctor... Kami ang nagiging paraan para kahit sa huling sandali, makita niyo nang maayos 'yung mahal niyo sa buhay."

(We work so that you will be able to see your departed loved ones in a. good light one last time.)