There is something sacred in places where time stands still—where the wind softens, the land opens, and statues do not mourn, but quietly proclaim hope.
For nearly five decades, Eternal Gardens has been more than a resting place. It is a sanctuary shaped by faith, tradition, and a powerful truth: that life does not end—it is transformed.
This was the vision of Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua. He dreamed of a space that comforts the grieving, honors the departed, and gently reminds the living of the promise of eternity. Through his faith and the art it inspired, that dream lives on.
At the center of every Eternal Gardens park stands a statue of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ: a moment described in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke where Jesus reveals His divine nature to Peter, James, and John. Glorious, radiant, transcendent. It is a scene of transformation—where the earthly meets the eternal. This is what Eternal Gardens chose to embody in each of its 12 branches—and soon, in its newest sanctuary rising in Pacol, Naga City.
The first towering statue at Eternal Gardens Baesa was designed by National Artist for Sculpture Dean Napoleon V. Abueva, who captured Christ in a powerful pose—gazing upward, arms outstretched toward the heavens.
The statue stands 33 feet high, representing the number of years Jesus Christ lived on earth. It is mounted on a 12-foot pedestal, symbolizing the 12 apostles. But beyond its symbolic dimensions, the Transfiguration monument embodies the essence of Eternal Gardens: a deep faith in God and in life everlasting, and man’s unceasing pursuit of divine light and understanding.
Interestingly, when Abueva presented his initial model of the sculpture, a debate arose as to whether the image represented the Resurrection or the Ascension. It was only resolved after Ambassador Cabangon Chua consulted his close friend, then Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin, who affirmed that the image most powerfully depicted the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ.
Every August 6, Eternal Gardens joins the universal Church in celebrating the Feast of the Transfiguration. For the company, the date holds even deeper significance—it marks a spiritual prelude to its founding anniversary on August 11. This unique confluence of faith and history is remembered each year through special Masses celebrated within Eternal Gardens parks or in nearby parishes. It is a tradition that lives on—not only in ritual, but in spirit.
That same devotion continues to guide Eternal Gardens today, carried on by his family and the people who shared his vision. Leading the way is his son, Chairman D. Edgard A. Cabangon, who remains deeply rooted in the mission his father believed in so strongly.
“For Dad, Eternal Gardens was more than a resting place. It was a place of faith,” Chairman Cabangon reflects. “He wanted every person who came here to feel that hope. That even in loss, God is near. That we are never alone.”
As Eternal Gardens prepares to mark its 50th year in 2026, its mission is as clear as the day it began. The company continues to offer more than just services. It offers peace, rooted in the belief that death is not the end, but the doorway to eternal life.
Started in 1927, the Philippines Graphic is the longest-running printed magazine of national circulation that provides relevant news and features and promotes Philippine literature.
