Rody sends flowers to tombs of ex-presidents

MANILA, Philippines - President Duterte sent flowers yesterday to departed former Philippine presidents on the occasion of remembering the dead.

He sent flowers to Elpidio Quirino, Diosdado Macapagal and Carlos Garcia who are buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig, and to Corazon Aquino and her husband Benigo Aquino Jr. at the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque.

Unlike his predecessors, Duterte did not inspect bus terminals, sea ports and airports in Metro Manila to assess government preparations for the nation’s observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.

Duterte has not returned to Manila since landing in Davao City on Thursday, after his three-day official visit to Japan. He did not stay in the city over the weekend, although he attended the Sunday wedding in Boracay of the brother of his runningmate Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said the President was satisfied with the government’s preparations.

Sacred occasion

Just like most Filipinos visiting the tombs of their beloved departed on All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, the President also holds this Christian holiday “sacred.”

The President is expected to visit the tombs of his parents anytime during the long holiday.

And also like most Filipinos, the President will use the long weekend as a time to get some rest.

A presidential staff in Davao City told The STAR no official engagement has been set for the President starting yesterday until the time he flies back to Manila for a Cabinet meeting in Malacañang on Nov. 3.

The President was close to his parents, especially his mother Soledad, who was a teacher, a disciplinarian and a stickler to rules.

His father Vicente was a lawyer like him and was a governor of the then undivided Davao, which encompassed Davao City, Davao del Norte and Davao del Sur. The whole area is now called the Davao region – formerly Southern Mindanao, when the government divided the Philippine archipelago into administrative regions in 1972.

Although he reserves this time of the year to pay respects to his departed parents, the President visits their resting place at the city’s Wireless Public Cemetery every so often.

On the night he was clearly winning in the May 9 presidential polls, the President rushed to his parents’ tombs, after spending dinner with his friend, international evangelist Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.

Before dawn of May 10 this year, the then president-in-waiting prayed before his parents’ tombs and wailed like a child, asking for guidance.

Completely different from his tough public persona, Duterte unabashedly broke down before his parents’ tombs and was heard uttering, “Help me, mother. I am just a nobody.”

He then kissed his parents’ tombs. Later that day, he confessed to the public that he, indeed, asked for his parents’ guidance to lead the nation.

Keep it solemn  

“As we remember our departed loved ones, we ask everyone to observe the solemnity of the occasion,” Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a statement. “Let us not bring bladed tools, liquors, loud speakers and even gaming cards and see to it that cemeteries before, during and after the observance of Undas are clean, orderly, and crime-free.” 

Andanar also reminded the public to be careful with their personal belongings.

“There are many who would opt to go to their provinces. We remind them to secure their houses and make sure they are locked, with all appliances unplugged before leaving. And for motorists with private vehicles do not forget to check their proper operating condition and roadworthiness.” 

Andanar said more than 9,500 policemen from the National Capital Region Police Office have been assigned to secure crowded areas like cemeteries, bus terminals, airports and seaports.

The deployment includes road safety marshals to provide immediate assistance to the public.

Explosive ordinance disposal experts were also tasked to preempt terrorist activities, he said.