Families hit by cemetery closures to get aid — Labella
The Cebu City government will provide assistance to those people who make a living in the cemeteries such as providing cleaning services there or making tombstones. These people will be affected by the closure of cemeteries for the Kalag-Kalag 2020. | CDN file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City government will be helping the families living in the public cemeteries in the city who will be affected by the closure of these cemeteries from October 30 to November 3, 2020.
Mayor Edgardo Labella said in a press conference on Friday, September 10, 2020, that the city would provide food packs to the families living in Carreta, Calamba, Barrio Luz, and Pardo Cemeteries.
The Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) have already been instructed to go around the major cemeteries in the city to identify the beneficiary families.
The mayor said he understood that some families that engage in the cemetery trade like crafting tombstones, selling candles, and providing cleaning services depended on the Kalag-kalag season to earn a living.
The closure of the cemeteries for those four days would greatly affect the economic situation in these communities.
With this, the city will ensure they will be taken care of so that they will not go hungry amid these trying times.
“Ato silag hatagan og pagkaon og hinabang. Ang DSWS magtuyok-tuyok na aron sa paglista aning mga pamilya. (We will provide them with food. The DSWS will go around to list these families),” said the mayor.
Read: Cemeteries in Cebu City closed from Oct. 30 to Nov. 3
The closure of the cemeteries on Kalag-kalag is still part of the preventive measures against the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as the city want to prevent mass gathering in the cemeteries.
In previous statements Labella said that Kalag-kalag is a tradition that will have to be missed this year for the sake of public health.
The city government urged families to visit their departed before or after the said dates to avoid crowding./dbs
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