Smaller crowds in cemeteries

Cebu City Police director, Senior Supt. Joel Doria accompanies Police Regional Director Chief Supt. Jose Mario Espino during his visit at Calamba Cemetery. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

Inclement weather is most likely the reason why crowds at the cemeteries in Cebu were smaller compared to last year’s estimates.

The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) estimated the crowd in all 21 cemeteries, both public and private, as more or less 26,000 as of noon yesterday.

“In Calamba Cemetery alone meron recorded na 25,000 to 30,000 visitors last year. So ngayon because of the weather kokonti lang yung visitors compared last year,” said CCPO director, Senior Supt. Joel Doria.

However, the police still expected the influx of visitors late last night and until today as the weather improved.

Last night the count reached 65,423.

In Cebu City, there are 14 public cemeteries and seven private cemeteries.

In Lapu-Lapu City however, the municipal and Protestant cemeteries, which normally flood up during rains, were relatively dry because rainfall was not very heavy there.

Village officials were however ready with suction pumps in case it would flood.

A resident, Melecio Berdin, said he was thankful that good weather prevailed.

“Kung duna pa’y baha karon, basin sa laing adlaw nalang mi moanhi (Had there been a flood, we would have come to the cemetery on some other day),” he said.

Generally peaceful

Hundreds of people who came to visit the tombs of their relatives and friends light candles in front of the altar inside the Carreta Public Cemetery in observance of All Saints’ Day. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

Meanwhile, the public observance of All Saints’ Day in Central Visayas was generally peaceful, according to the Police Regional Office (PRO-7).

Chief Supt. Jose Mario Espino, PRO-7 chief, said there were no untoward incidents reported except for some confiscation of sharp objects, bladed weapons and alcoholic beverages.

“Peaceful naman, pero patuloy parin ang paghigpit ng security natin (It was generally peaceful but we also continued to tighten our security measures),” Espino said.

In Lapu-Lapu City, police backed by military personnel from the Philippine Air Force and a medical team from the Philippine Red Cross patrolled the cemeteries and terminals and distributed leaflets containing police phone numbers on how to be safe.

In Mandaue City, police confiscated bladed weapons and sharp objects, but no arrests were made.
Peace and order was maintained.

Espino added that security is still in place, and the police being deployed remained the same.

In Cebu City alone, there were more than 1,000 police and multipliers deployed.

Doria assured that the police officers and volunteers have enough energy to last until today.

“We have enough energy to secure the public and maintain the peace and order (for yesterday and today),” Doria said.

Garbage

Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella visited and inspected Calamba Cemetery yesterday morning.

He urged the public to clean their areas right after they pray and visited their departed loved ones.

“Atong hiposon kay grabe ang epekto sa basura. Aside sa peace, order and security atong gitan-aw walay indiscriminate disposal of garbage ilabi na sa mga maninda sa daplin,” Labella said.

(We should clean up since garbage will have a bad effect. Aside from peace, order and security we also focusing on indiscriminate disposal of garbage specially those vendors in the sidewalk.)

In Mandaue City, the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) deployed its eco-wardens and cleaners to maintain cleanliness in the cemeteries.