MMDA: Metro Manila governments, cemeteries ready for visitors ahead of Undas closure
MANILA, Philippines — Ahead of their scheduled closure on October 29, cemeteries in Metro Manila are well-prepared for the rush of Filipinos visiting their departed loved ones ahead of this year's Undas, the Metro Manila Development Authority said Tuesday.
In a statement sent to reporters, MMDA chair Benhur Abalos said that the MMDA has deployed additional manpower, in coordination with local government units and the police, to assist in the cemeteries and to man the traffic within their vicinities.
This comes as the pandemic task force ordered the closure of cemeteries across the country this Undas still due to the threat of COVID-19. "The public can visit these places on other days, just not during this period," Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said in a public address.
“The influx of people has spread out as they visit their departed loved ones this early,” Abalos was quoted as saying during separate inspections of the Manila North Cemetery in Manila and Garden of Life Park in Mandaluyong to check compliance to protocols set by the coronavirus task force.
In a resolution over the weekend, the MMDA asked the local government units to enact ordinances or adopt resolutions closing cemeteries, memorial parks, and columbaria from the public starting October 29 up to November 2.
The Philippine National Police has installed assistance desks and deployed roving teams around cemeteries to ensure that the 30% limited capacity is being observed.
“We encourage the public to schedule their visits to their departed loved ones before the closure to avoid crowding and ensure the health and safety of everyone,” Abalos said.
“While it is important to abide by the guidelines set by the IATF and to observe minimum health protocols, it is likewise significant to practice self-discipline to ensure that we will have an Undas that is safe from the COVID-19 virus,” he added.
To date, health officials have recorded 2.76 million coronavirus infections around the country, 57,763 of whom are still classified as active cases.
The Department of Health said earlier that coronavirus cases are expected to stabilize back to pre-Delta numbers, indicating a possible shift to Alert Level 2 in the coming weeks.
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