7,000 cops to be deployed in Metro Manila cemeteries

MANILA, Philippines - At least 7,000 police officers will be deployed in 99 cemeteries in Metro Manila for the observance of All Saints’ Day on Nov. 1, an official of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said yesterday.

NCRPO director Chief Supt. Oscar Albayalde said the police personnel would be deployed in the cemeteries two days before All Saints’ Day to maintain peace and order and ease traffic congestion.

The Manila Police District (MPD) would deploy 2,000
police in the North Cemetery and South Cemetery, while the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) would secure La Loma Cemetery.

The NCRPO would also set up Police Assistance Desks (PADs) in front of cemeteries to guide the public in going to their destinations and to deter pickpockets and other petty criminals.

“Aside from policemen manning PADs who are in full uniform, we are also deploying plainclothes or roving policemen inside cemeteries to see to it that the solemnity of the place is being maintained,” Albayalde said.

Albayalde urged the public not to bring expensive cellular phones and jewelry to prevent them from being victimized by criminals.

The NCRPO will also ban firearms, all types of bladed weapons, liquor, firecrackers, loudspeakers and playing cards inside cemeteries.

Albayalde urged parents to see to it that their children would not be separated from them.

“In the case of toddlers, the parents should arm them with cardboard or anything that contains their address and the number to call in case they are separated from them for easy tracing by our policemen,” he added.

Albayalde also appealed to the public to maintain cleanliness as a sign of respect for their departed loved ones.

Special permits for PUVs

Meanwhile, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is expediting the issuance of special permits to operators of public utility vehicles (PUVs) to address the expected influx of passengers during the observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.

Special permits allow operators of PUVs to use their units to ply out of line to different routes which have higher demand. The special permits will be valid from Oct. 29 to Nov. 3.

The LTFRB also lifted the 25 percent ceiling of authorized vehicles per operator which could get special permits.

Around 4,600 city buses and 8,000 provincial buses that enter Metro Manila could apply for special permits.

LTFRB chairman Martin Delgra said the agency has relaxed the requirements and eased the processing of special permits to give operators the flexibility to address the high demand during the Halloween break.

“This is the same instruction that I have given the regional offices – to facilitate and assist not only the bus operators but all types of PUVs for the issuance of special permits,” Delgra said.

Oct. 31, Nov. 1 special holidays

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), meanwhile, reminded employers to grant additional pay for workers who would work on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, which were declared special non-working holidays.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said under the pay rules, a worker shall be paid additional 30 percent on the first eight hours of work during a special non-working holiday. For work done in excess of eight hours, the workers will be paid an additional 30 percent of their hourly rate.

For work done during a special day that also falls on the workers’ rest day, the worker shall be paid an additional 50 percent of their daily rate on the first eight hours of work. Work done in excess of eight hours shall be paid an additional 30 percent of the hourly rate on that day. – With Romina Cabrera, Mayen Jaymalin