All Manila cemeteries closed for ‘Undas’

MANILA, Philippines — This year, visit your dearly departed in the cemeteries early.

All public and private cemeteries in Manila will be closed from Oct. 31 to Nov. 3 to avoid the mass gathering of people during All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days, collectively called “Undas,” Mayor Isko Moreno said yesterday.

He signed Executive Order 38 ordering the “temporary closure of all public and private memorial parks, cemeteries and columbaries during Undas as the city battles the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Speaking in a Facebook Live broadcast, Moreno said the temporary closure of the facilities is subject to general community quarantine protocols.

“Only interment and cremation services for non-COVID-19 cases shall be allowed, subject to the strict observance of minimum public health standards and social distancing,” he said.

Manila North Cemetery, which has 105,837 graves, is estimated to receive about 1.5 million visitors during Undas while Manila South Cemetery, which has 39,228 graves, receives about 800,000 visitors.

He said people have two months to visit their departed loved ones buried in Manila’s cemeteries.

Should public health protocols prescribed by the national government change before Undas, Moreno said he would rescind his order.

Moreno has directed the Manila Police District, the local government’s cemeteries and the city’s health department, disaster risk reduction and management office and department of public services to ensure the proper implementation of his directive.