Some wade through thick mud in ‘Kristine’-hit cemeteries
Devout Filipinos clutching candles and flowers poured into cemeteries on Friday to pay tribute to loved ones on All Saints’ Day.
Close to two million flocked to sprawling graveyards in Metro Manila, while others waded through floodwaters left by the Severe Tropical Storm “Kristine” in neighboring areas to quietly pray and celebrate the lives of departed relatives.
Even inmates at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City had an opportunity to speak with loved ones in honoring their dearly departed through “e-Undas” or supervised video calls.
“We want to make sure that despite physical confinement, PDLs can still stay connected with their families during meaningful occasions,” BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang said.
At the Manila North and South cemeteries, over 1 million flocked to the graveyards of their loved ones yesterday, the Philippine National Police said.
At the Tugatog Public Cemetery which is undergoing redevelopment in Malabon City, a memorial wall served as a place to remember the dearly departed.
Some 35,000 showed up at the Sangandaan Cemetery in Caloocan City for Undas while around 25,000 arrived at the Loyola Memorial park in Parañaque City.
At the Laurel Public Cemetery in Batangas, visitors waded through thick mud and used shovels to dig through the debris that surrounded the tombs of their loved ones.
In Pampanga, people trudged through murky floodwaters to visit the submerged Masantol municipal cemetery.
“Visiting dead loved ones is very important to Filipinos. This has been our tradition and culture,” 34-year-old Mark Yamat said. “Even though the cemetery is submerged here, we will continue to visit.”
Virginia Flores, 64, lit candles in front of her grandmother’s “apartment” at Manila North Cemetery – a local term for tombs packed tightly together and stacked meters high.
“This is my way of remembering her life and our shared memories when she was alive, so I visit her every year,” Flores said.
Erlinda Sese, 52, was joined by her sister and grandchildren to offer prayers for their deceased loved ones.
“Even if they are gone, today is a reminder that our love for them will never fade,” Sese said as she gently laid a bouquet of white flowers on a tombstone.
In this devout Southeast Asian country, Undas is a public holiday to allow for travel to far-flung gravesites across the archipelago.
Police said the situation at cemeteries remained generally peaceful even as they confiscated thousands of prohibited items.
Among the seized contraband items were bladed weapons, lighters, matchboxes, lighters, cigarettes, and vapes, among others, at cemeteries in the cities of Manila and Quezon.
Meanwhile, the Department of Health said hospitals would remain under Code White until All Souls’ Days today.
A Code White Alert means all health workers are on standby, ready to respond to medical emergencies at any time. With AFP
