Calamba Cemtery vendors receive the 25 kilos promised aid by the Cebu City government. | Photo Courtesy of Cebu City PIO
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Vendors of the Calamba Cemetery here have received the promised 25 kilos of rice from the city government.
The Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) here began the distribution on October 23, 2020, to the vendors selling flowers, candles, and other services near the cemetery.
On Monday, October 26, 2020, at least 220 vendors received their rice and other aid from the city. Ahead of them, 117 vendors from the Carreta Cemetery also received their aid last week.
They will be the most affected when the closure of all cemeteries will be implemented on October 29 to November 3, 2020, a mandate of the Interagency Task Force (IATF) to avoid crowding during the All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day.
Read: Cemeteries in Cebu City closed from Oct. 30 to Nov. 3
The city government also disallowed them to enter the cemeteries even the days leading to the November 1 and 2, 2020, making it harder for them to sell their products to visitors.
Frances Abangan, the head of the DSWS, assured that before the closure, they will have distributed all rice aid to the vendors in all cemeteries.
Next to receive their aid would be vendors from the Pardo Cemetery and the Veterans Cemetery in Barangay Labangon.
On Wednesday, they will wrap up the distribution in St. Joseph Cemetery Banilad, Queen City Garden in Mabolo, Cebu Memorial Cemetery in Banilad, and the Talamban and Pit-os Cemeteries.
/bmjo