People who will visit their departed kin at the Carreta Public Cemetery in Cebu City on All Saints Day, or Nov. 1, 2019, only have until midnight to stay at the cemetery, authorities reveal. | CDN File Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Department of Public Services (DPS) has started cleaning the public cemeteries around the city nine days before the celebration of the All Saints Day and All Souls Day on November 1 and 2.
Engineer Joel Biton, the head of DPS, said they have coordinated with the managements of both public and private cemeteries in the city for them to designate areas in their cemeteries where DPS garbage collectors can collect their garbage before and after the holidays.
DPS personnel started the clean up of the Pardo Public Cemetery on October 14 and in one week, they have gathered three truckloads of garbage weighing a total of 21 tons, said Biton.
Biton said their next target are the public cemeteries in Calamba, Carreta, Talamban, Mabolo, and Labangon to prepare these areas for the expected influx of visitors.
DPS will be putting up lights in the public cemeteries in response to complaint from the management of these cemeteries about their unlighted areas, which are security risks.
Recently, the DPS purchased P8 million worth of LED bulbs to light up the streets in the city. A delivery of 27,000 LED bulbs are expected anytime soon.
Biton said the cemeteries and surrounding streets will be prioritized in the street lighting project.
“I have already met 200 street cleaners in the city to discuss the plans for Undas. Ato gyud paninguhaon nga limpyo atong mga sementeryo (We will make sure our cemeteries are clean),” said Biton.
He urged the public visiting cemeteries on November 1 and 2 to properly dispose of their trash or, better still, bring their own trash bags to hold their garbage./elb