Fewer people seen in cemeteries on start of month-long allowed visitation

Policemen patrol a cemetery in Cebu City in this 2019 photo. |CDN File Photos

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Fewer people have visited Cebu City cemeteries on the first day of the cemetery visitation for Kalag-kalag 2020, this Saturday, September 26, 2020.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, director for operations of Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said that during the patrol of the about 300 policemen deployed in cemeteries this 6 a.m., only an estimated 10 to 15 individuals were counted to have visited.

Read: 300 policemen to be deployed to Cebu City cemeteries

This Saturday is the first day for the month-long allowed visitation of cemeteries in replacement of the original two-day celebration of the All Saints and All Souls day on November 1 and 2, as part of Cebu City government’s measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 virus.

Read: What to expect when visiting Cebu City cemeteries starting Sept. 26

Parilla said that as of noon today, Saturday, there were no influx of people in the 23 cemeteries where the policemen were deployed to make sure that health protocols were being observed.

“Based sa atong monitoring gamay pa kaayong mga nag adro sa mga menteryo. Siguro basin sa Sunday daghan ang tawo… generally peaceful lang gyud,” said Parilla.

(Based on our monitoring, there were only a few people who visited the cemeteries. Perhaps, on Sunday more people will come to visit the cemeteries. The day today however was generally peaceful.)

The fewer cemetery visitors said Parilla was expected as it was only the start of the given time for visitation but security forces were already deployed and were instructed to be strict as preparation for any possible influx any time of the week .

Parilla said that the possible influx of visitors might be expected by the middle and last week of the month of October.