Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase involved in clearance of apoptotic cell corpses by phagosomes. Phagosome maturation requires two sequential and non-overlapping pulses of phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate (PI3P) on the vesicle surface which mediates recruitment of sortins snx-1 and lst-4 and small GTPases rab-5, rab-2 and rab-7. The first pulse is initiated by piki-1, then maintained by vps-34 which also produces the second pulse. Unlike vps-34, not involved in the formation of PI3P in early endosomes. a 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-(1D-myo-inositol) + ATP = a 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-(1D-myo-inositol-3-phosphate) + ADP + H(+) Localizes transiently to pseudopods and nascent phagosomes during cell corpse engulfment. Belongs to the PI3/PI4-kinase family.