One of the grander plots at Nirvana Semenyih Memorial Park in the Malaysian state of Selangor. The largest cemetery in Malaysia, it covers 2.6 million square meters. (Nirvana Asia)

Southeast Asian businesses tap into lucrative deathcare trends

Sector rides demand for elaborate ceremonies and luxurious plots

NORMAN GOH and RAMON ROYANDOYAN, Nikkei staff writers

December 10, 2024 06:00 JST

KUALA LUMPUR/MANILA -- Tresalin Cabico didn't think twice about spending a chunk of her savings on the funeral of her husband Amor when he died in the northern province of Nueva Ecija in 2023. The school principal paid 120,000 pesos ($2,068) for the ceremony and 135,000 pesos for a nine-day wake.

"We spend a significant amount on funerals to honor and respect the wishes of the deceased," she said. "It's also a gesture of love and care."