Undas 2022 off to a peaceful start as people flock early to cemeteries —PNP

All Saints’ Day or Undas started off peacefully on Tuesday as people trooped to cemeteries early, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said.

Interviewed on GMA News’ Unang Balita, Fajardo said there has been no untoward incident reported since the start of the long holiday weekend.

“So far, for the last two to three days, generally peaceful naman 'yung mga nakita nating sitwasyon sa ating mga sementeryo particularly dito sa Manila,” she said.

(So far, for the last two to three days, the situation in cemeteries particularly here in Manila has been generally peaceful.)

More people are expected to visit the tombs of their loved ones with better weather conditions on Tuesday, according to Fajardo.

Among the prohibited items inside cemeteries are sharp and pointed objects, flammable materials, speakers, and gambling items.

According to reports on Unang Balita, some cemeteries in the country were still flooded on All Saints’ Day.

In Bacolod City, the Burgos Public Cemetery was soaked in floodwater and mud due to rains since last week, GMA Regional TV One Western Visayas’ Adrian Prietos  reported.

Visitors also had a hard time looking for the tombs of their departed loved ones  due to trash and tall grass in the cemetery.

In Dagupan City, the Roman Catholic Cemetery was also flooded, according to a report of GMA Regional TV One North Central Luzon’s Russel Simorio.

The flooding was also due to the high tide in the area.

In Obando, Bulacan, visitors were also forced to cross the flood in Obando Public Cemetery due to rainfall and high tide, according to a report of Bam Alegre.

Visitors were advised to visit the cemetery in the afternoon when the flood is expected to subside.

At the Manila North Cemetery, its director Roselle Castañeda said the number of people who visited the cemetery on Monday was lower than expected due to the bad weather.

“Kahapon po doon sa ine-expect namin na at least makaka-300,000 or 400,00 po sana ang mga makakapunta rito ay napakababa po dahil 42,844 lang ang pumasok sa Manila North Cemetery,” she said in an interview on GMA News’ Unang Balita.

(Yesterday, we were expecting that around 300,000 to 400,000 people would come here but the number was very low because only 42,844 people entered the Manila North Cemetery.)

With better weather conditions, she said they are expecting that the number of visitors would increase on Tuesday.

At past 9 a.m., huge crowds were seen near the entrance of the cemetery, as seen in a video posted by GMA News' Raffy Tima on Twitter.

WATCH: Manila North Cemetery at the moment, occasionally raining hard but the crowd keeps growing. #Undas2022 | via @raffytima pic.twitter.com/um2OYes5TZ

— GMA News (@gmanews) November 1, 2022

Meanwhile, at the Manila South Cemetery, its director Jonathan Garzo discouraged senior citizens and children from visiting due to the threat of COVID-19.

In Malabon, visitors were only allowed outside the Tugatog Public Cemetery because the graveyard is still under rehabilitation, according to a report of James Agustin.

Visitors were seen lighting candles and laying flowers at the entrance of the cemetery.

In San Juan City, some visitors went to San Juan City Cemetery on the eve of All Saints’ Day on Monday evening to avoid the surge of people in the cemetery during the occasion, GMA News’ Nico Waje reported.

According to the management, it would require the wearing of face masks if the number of visitors reached 50% of the cemetery’s capacity.

At the Pasay City Public Cemetery, visitors were asked to log their names upon entrance.

Meanwhile, in Cagayan de Oro City, the local government was offering free rides to senior citizens, children, and pregnant women visiting cemeteries, according to a report of Cyril Chaves of GMA Regional TV One Mindanao.

—KG, GMA News