How It All Began: The founding yr of Funeraria Imperial, Incorporated

By Jason B. Neola

(This story about the founding year of Funeraria Imperial Inc. was written by the author, based on the narration of Philip T. Imperial, grandson of Felipe Importante Imperial. It is the opening article in a year-long commemorative series.)

In 1926, Felipe Importante Imperial already had a thriving 2-year-old enterprise: Bazar Cosmopolita, a furniture shop he established in Municipio del Naga. At the time, hardwoods such as narra, apitong, and yakal were abundant and unregulated, making them the primary materials for furniture production. Red and white lawaan were also used, though less frequently. Thanks to the superior quality of these hardwoods and meticulous craftsmanship, some venerable institutions in Naga City and nearby towns still possess original office tables, dining sets, chairs, aparadores, and tocadores made by Bazar Cosmopolita.

Felipe’s first employee was his elder brother, Florentino. Together, they produced furniture of outstanding quality. Their products quickly gained popularity not only in Municipio de Naga but also in neighboring towns and villages. Clients were drawn to the durability, refined design, and aesthetic appeal of their work. Within a year, the business expanded from a two-man operation into a small yet efficient workforce of seven.

Business Born of Necessity

Because of his reputation in the furniture trade, Felipe was often approached by friends and acquaintances during times of bereavement, asking him to make coffins for their departed loved ones. It wasn’t unusual for him and his team to work through the night just to deliver a coffin by dawn.

And so, the funeral business began—not as a deliberate venture, but out of necessity and compassion. At the time, there were no formal funeral parlors in Naga. Wakes were held in homes and typically lasted only 24 to 36 hours due to the absence of embalming and preservation methods. Motorized vehicles were rare; most streets were plied by caretelas, pushcarts, and carabao-drawn carts, with only about 10% of the roads macadamized.

Within two years of entering the funeral trade, Felipe introduced the horse-drawn hearse or carajuahe and began training staff in embalming and preservation—a significant innovation in a town where such services were previously unknown.

In that year, Europe was eight years into its recovery from World War I. Across the globe, colonies and Commonwealth nations were riding waves of nationalism, and egalitarian ideals were rising in contrast to Marxist ideologies. At home, Naga was still part of the undivided province of Ambos Camarines, which would later split into Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte.

Life in Naga was simple and pastoral. There was no electricity. People rose with the sun and retired early. Commerce was modest, yet Municipio de Naga was already regarded as the religious, educational, and cultural center of the Bicol Region.

The town’s close-knit community gathered around Plaza Rizal in the afternoons. Most residents knew one another by name, and about 90 percent were native Nagueños. Migration was limited; people typically settled and built their lives in the communities where they were born.

It was in this setting that Funeraria Imperial Inc. took root—shaping and refining the practice of funeral service in Naga and beyond.

The Man Behind the Legacy

Felipe Importante Imperial

(February 20, 1901 – May 25, 1972)

Felipe was born in Barangay Sagrada, Buhi, Camarines Sur—just 52 days into the 20th century. He was the middle child of Isidro and Gavina Imperial, hardworking farmers and proprietors of a carinderia at Junction Anayan in Pili, the provincial capital. Along with his siblings, Florentino and Gaudencia, Felipe spent his formative years in Pili.

Even in his youth, Felipe stood out for his sense of responsibility and diligence. He studied at the Seminario Conciliar de Nueva Caceres, which accepted lay students and was later renamed Seminario del Santísimo Rosario. He would commute daily from Anayan to Naga on a sturdy bicycle, making the long journey each morning and returning home each afternoon.

At just 24, Felipe was already managing a successful furniture business. A year later, at 25, he was crafting coffins for grieving families. His integrity and dedication earned him wide respect. In 1941, he and his team provided funeral services for Governor Manuel Ubante del Gallego, who passed away on May 12 of that year.

In 1993—52 years later—former governor Gallego’s remains were exhumed due to a road-widening project along Concepcion Cemetery. Astonishingly, his body was found intact. Experts attributed this to the superior techniques and materials used during his embalming. It was believed that the narra wood coffin had warped very little over the decades, creating a vacuum that significantly slowed oxidation and decomposition—a testament to the quality that Funeraria Imperial had always upheld.

Nearly a century later, Felipe’s legacy lives on in the enduring name of Funeraria Imperial Inc.—a business born not from ambition but from service. What began as an act of compassion has become a cornerstone of tradition and dignity in the Bicol Region.

Felipe I. Imperial (5th from right) as Secretary of the Municipal Council of Naga, alongside Mayor Rosalio Imperial and Vice Mayor Blas Dano. Photo also shows City Councilors Jesus Hidalgo, M.D., Maria de Naz, Emiliano Fausto, Domingo Escalante, Gregorio Salceda, Exiquel Grageda, Manuel dela Rosa, and Cornelio Abesa.

Vision, Tenacity, and Heart

Felipe Importante Imperial, founder of Funeraria Imperial, was a man of foresight and unwavering resolve. His tenacity—often bordering on stubbornness—earned him the nickname “Gapo” (stone). Whenever someone told him an idea couldn’t be done, he became even more determined to prove them wrong.

One example of this determination was when he leased a 25-hectare tract of government land in faraway Donsol, Sorsogon, and developed it into a fishpond—working hectare by hectare. Experts warned that the land, located in a valley between mountain and sea, was prone to flooding during heavy rains. But Felipe pressed on. He invested in dikes and canals, and though these proved inadequate during typhoon season, he did not give up. Only when it became clear that the project was unsustainable did he concede. This same grit and persistence earned him the affectionate moniker Gapo—the Bicol term for stone—used to describe someone hardheaded but steadfast.

Entrepreneurial by nature, Felipe was a qualified teacher who chose enterprise over employment. He couldn’t be confined to the four walls of a classroom—although at one point he served as president of Southern Luzon College, the first postwar academy in Naga to offer tertiary education.

He was also appointed Escribiente de Consejo (Council Secretary) of the first Municipal Council of Naga. Beyond the funeral business, he pursued farming—a tradition still upheld by the family today. Clad in his trademark bastipol, he embodied the image of the farmer-gentleman. He also ventured into poultry, maintaining a poultry house that housed up to 1,000 layers. Yet, through all his business ventures, he never let go of two things: funeral service and farming.

From the very beginning, Felipe I. Imperial instilled in his team a deep sense of family. Patriarchal by nature, he treated his workers like his own kin. Many regarded him as a father figure, addressing him as “Tatay Ipe,” “Tio Ipeng,” or simply “Boss.” It was customary for employees and their families to greet him with the traditional Bicolano besa po. For nearly a century, Funeraria Imperial has never faced a single labor case—a testament to the respectful and compassionate work environment Felipe nurtured.

5 Values for Century of Service

Trait I: Never Let a Customer Leave Empty-Handed

Felipe often reminded his team: “When a customer walks into the store, don’t let them leave without making a sale—even if it means a small loss on your part.” His approach placed service before profit, reinforcing the company’s commitment to meeting every customer’s needs.

Trait II: Be Honest and Direct

He believed in sincerity over sales talk. For him, honesty and fairness won trust—and that trust turned customers into lifelong clients. Many returned over the years, not just for services, but because they felt a personal connection.

Trait III: Always Exceed Expectations

Felipe insisted on delivering more than what the client paid for. Going the extra mile, adding value, and surprising customers with thoughtful touches were not exceptions—they were the standard.

Trait IV: Serve with Compassion—Not Just for Profit

He always emphasized that the funeral business was not merely commercial; it was both a social and spiritual responsibility. If ever faced with a choice between profit and compassion, compassion must prevail.

This value was deeply evident during tragic events such as the 1972 Colgante Bridge collapse, when Funeraria Imperial offered free services to both identified and unidentified victims. The same was true during the C-130 crash in Tankung Vaca, Libmanan. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the staff worked tirelessly for almost three months—often without clear assurance of compensation. Yet the principle of Gratis et Amore—service freely given, out of love—remained steadfast.

Trait V: No Discrimination, No Distinction

Among the most enduring values passed down through generations was the principle of equal service. Whether serving a high-profile client or a family of modest means, everyone was treated with the same dignity and care.

Internally, staff used affectionate code names for clients:

“Bankulis” for those who opted for premium services—often celebrated with a hearty meal at Cosmos or Rendezvous Restaurant;

“Sapsap” for clients who availed of more affordable packages.

Regardless of the name or means, every client was served with the same compassion, respect, and commitment.

Charity, Equal Dignity

Felipe I. Imperial, founder of Funeraria Imperial Inc., instilled in all of us a simple yet profound belief: every customer deserves the same energy, the same standard of quality service, and the same respect—regardless of social standing. Whether rich or poor, high-ranking or ordinary, he saw all human beings as equal in dignity before God, each one a vessel of the Holy Spirit.

For this, I—and the generations that followed—can only be grateful. He bequeathed to us timeless values that have sustained this company for a hundred years and will continue to guide it for generations to come.

Felipe was a God-fearing man, blessed with qualities that inspired and uplifted everyone he encountered. His entrepreneurial curiosity, persistence, and even his so-called “stubbornness” stemmed from a love of hard work and an enduring commitment to the community. Wherever he went, he tried to leave places better than he found them.

Summing up a man’s life is never easy. But if there was one defining trait in Felipe I. Imperial’s journey, it was his towering sense of charity.

I remember traveling with my grandmother Irene and him to Manila aboard the old steam locomotive of the Manila Railroad Company. Along the way, he would buy something from nearly every vendor who approached—espasol, boiled eggs, green oranges, putoseko, puto Biñan, lansones, and more. Curious, I once asked why he kept buying when our bayong was already full of provisions, complete with a thermos of hot water. His answer was simple:

“They need to make a sale. Buying from them encourages them in their business.”

Upon arriving in Manila, he would often give away the goods to neighbours.

It was common to see sweepstakes vendors waiting outside his office at dawn. He would buy from every one of them, just to give them their buena mano—the day’s first sale—for good luck.

People approached him constantly for help. He seldom, if ever, said “no.” His office welcomed all sorts of solicitors—some with questionable intentions, all with a sob story. And still, he gave.

Once, we grandchildren confronted him: “Lolo, pigloloko ka kayan mga paratudok!” (“Grandfather, these petitioners are just fooling you!”)

He calmly replied: “What if they’re not? What if they truly need help? Will your grandfather become unkind when he becomes a millionaire?”

Felipe I. Imperial made many friends in his lifetime. At his funeral, the people of Naga bore witness to the life he lived. Mourners walked all the way from the 15 Martires Monument to the Peñafrancia Shrine. His body had already reached the altar, but the tail end of the funeral procession was still crossing Colgante Bridge.

He was born unknown, but he left this world beloved—mourned by many, remembered by all as a friend, and a humble servant of the Lord.