AFTER Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso ordered the closure of cemeteries in the city from October 31 to November 3 to prevent the spread of Covid- 19, other Metro Manila mayors are following suit.
In a radio interview, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) general manager Jose Arturo Garcia said that all mayors in Metro Manila have already signified their agreement with the proposal to close down the cemeteries in their respective cities during the observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, popularly called “Undas.” Millions of Filipinos troop to the cemeteries on November 1 and 2 each year for a time-honored tradition, rooted especially among Filipino Catholics.
“It [the decision to close cemeteries] will be unanimous,” Garcia said, adding that he has yet to discuss the matter “officially” with the mayors on Sunday.
In order to prevent thousands from converging at cemeteries in just two days, thus making social distancing difficult, the mayors are, like Manila’s Moreno, encouraging residents to spread out their visits to cemeteries across several weeks in advance of Undas, with proposals to issue cemetery passes for certain dates to ensure a maximum number is observed for each day.
San Juan
To sustain its gains in the battle with Covid-19 and to thwart resurgence of the disease, San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora has issued an Executive Order (FMZ-049 Series of 2020) stating that “it is necessary and proper to regulate the influx of people trooping to all public and private memorial parks, cemeteries and columbaries to commemorate Undas before, on or after All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.”
Zamora also barred all Halloween activities, including Trick or Treat, in order to prevent the public, especially children, from gathering and leaving their homes.
Zamora mandated the temporary closure of all memorial parks, cemeteries and columbaries, both public and private, within the City of San Juan from October 30 to November 3 while the National Capital Region is under community quarantine.
“The conduct of trick or treat and other Halloween activities shall be prohibited in all places, including in gated subdivisions, condominiums, as well as in public places such as parks, malls and the like from October 30, 2020, to November 3, 2020, especially during All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. Halloween activities are allowed to be conducted in the confines of one’s own home, provided that social distancing and other precautionary measures are complied with,” the EO stated.
Marikina
While he has yet to issue an order not to open to the public the cemeteries at Undas, Marikina City Marcelino Teodoro said people may visit their departed loved ones, but passes will be issued to at least 30 percent of their total capacity of visitors.
“We will give a window hour for those who want to visit starting October 15 to November 30,” he said.
Teodoro will issue an executive order to formalize the closure of the four cemeteries from October 31 to November 2.
He stressed that they need not only to temporarily close cemeteries, but also give specific dates when people could visit, than for them to flock to cemeteries on other days.
The religious and cultural practices of people like the commemoration of Undas, according to him, cannot be forcibly stopped, but can be regulated, he said.
Cemetery administrations will also prohibit foods and tents that can congest the four cemeteries in Marikina, the mayor said.
The mayor said people may process their cemetery passes as early as October 1.
Meanwhile, he reiterated the Inter-Agency Task Force guidelines prohibiting children below 21 years old and adults above 60 from stepping out. Therefore, they cannot be given cemetery passes.
To ensure that vehicle volume inside cemeteries remains manageable, the mayor said the cemetery administrations will also issue car passes.
The four cemeteries in Marikina City are Loyola Memorial Park, Barangka Municipal Cemetery, Aglipay Cemetery, Holy Child Cemetery, and Our Lady of the Abandoned.
Mandaluyong
Mandaluyong City Mayor Menchie Abalos has ordered the temporary closure of all public and private cemeteries in the city from October 30 to November 3.
The temporary closure covers the Garden of Life, San Felipe Neri Roman Catholic and Paradise cemeteries.
She also ordered the City Legal Department to draft an executive order for the temporary closure.
Instead of flocking to cemeteries, she said, families are urged to bring home the urns of their dead relatives to celebrate Undas.
The local governments of Malabon, Makati and Pateros will also temporarily close their cemeteries. Meanwhile, the cities of Taguig and Pasay said that they will make an announcement after the meeting of the Metro Manila mayors on Sunday.
Image credits: Nonie Reyes