Visitors pour into Manila North Cemetery ahead of Undas

Visitors have started to flock to Manila North Cemetery days before All Saints' Day.

Saturday marks the start of the long weekend, allowing people to visit their loved ones who have passed away.

Manila North Cemetery is one of the oldest and the biggest cemeteries in Metro Manila. 

It houses the remains of former Presidents Ramon Magsaysay, Manuel Roxas, Sergio Osmeña, among others. 

"Mahaba celebration natin ngayon, kasi long weekend," said Manila North Cemetery Officer-in-Charge Daniel Tan during an interview with GMA News Online.

He said many visitors spent Friday night at the cemetery and more came in at around 5:00 a.m.  on Saturday.

"Parami ng parami yan. Baka bukas mga 100,000 mahigit yan. Sunday, Monday, tuloy-tuloy na yan," Tan said. 

Tan estimated the number of visitors to be from 10,000 to 20,000 as of Saturday noon. 

In last year's All Saints' Day celebration, the cemetery saw 1.9 to 2 million visitors.

Tan is expecting the number to go lower this year because some might opt to return to their provinces for the holidays after paying their respects to their deceased relatives.

However, they have already taken measures to secure the perimeter.

"Yung seguridad namin, nagdoble kami. May mga medical team din tayo," he said.

He said 954 officers from the Manila police District are already stationed inside the Manila North Cemetery.

The National Capital Regional Police Office also sent more than 100 officers to keep watch.

Members of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Department of Public Safety (DPS), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and volunteers from the Philippine Red Cross are also on standby.

The MMDA is already patrolling the traffic, because they are expecting thousands more to arrive in the coming days.

No untoward incidents have occurred so far, Tan said. — VVP, GMA News