A look inside the Carreta Sto. Rosario Cemetery in Cebu City on October 18, 2021, two weeks before Kalag-Kalag 2021. CDN Digital photo | Pegeen Maisie Sararaña
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Minors below 18 years are not allowed inside Cebu City cemeteries during the city’s observance of Kalag-Kalag 2021, which officially started on Monday, October 18.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, deputy director for operations of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), reiterated this reminder after they observed a few minors in the city’s cemeteries with their parents on Monday.
Parilla said that Monday was the last day that they will allow minors inside cemeteries since starting today, Tuesday, October 19, parents or guardians who will bring minors with them will be asked to go home. They, however, will be allowed to return sans the youngsters.
On Monday, October 18, Parilla said there were at least 10 minors inside the Carreta Sto. Nino cemetery located along M.J Cuenco Avenue in Cebu City, who were assisted by the police while their parents were visiting and cleaning the graves of their departed loved ones.
But starting today, this will no longer be the case.
“Kung naay usa ka tawo nga muanha unya magdala og minor, dili na gyud sila pasudlon. Wala natay area nga para sa minor. So kung magdala siyag minor di na gyud pasudlon,” Parilla said.
(If one will bring a minor with him, we will not allow them to enter. We will have to send them back home)
Parilla said that they will be strict in implementing this and reminded the public anew that only 18 to 65 years old are allowed to enter the city’s cemeteries.
Parilla also revealed that they notice only a few visitors in the city’s cemeteries during the first-day observance of Kalag-Kalag and that they did not encounter any major problem in their implementation of the security measures. However, he could not provide any figures just yet.
Parilla also said that cemetery visitors will be given color-coded flags by the cemetery administration to monitor the duration of their visit.
Visitors are given 30 minutes to an hour to visit their loved ones in the cemetery. When that exceeds, they would be asked to go home so other visitors can go inside.
Parilla disclosed that the distribution of color-coded flags will only be done if there is an influx of visitors on a given day. Police personnel will also regularly roam around inside to monitor the volume of visitors.
“But kung ang atoang mga tawo di kaayo daghan,di mag volume ilang pagsulod, unya wala pa muabot sa minimum ang sulod sa minteryo so di pata mu limit nila no. Sa pagsud nila, tagaan sila (color-coded flags),” he added.
(But if we only have a few visitors inside the cemetery, we will not limit them yet. Upon entry, they will be given color-coded flags.)
Parilla also said that they have required cemetery administrators to put up a paging system for their daily advisory.
Also, no vendors are allowed both inside and outside the cemeteries, Parilla said.
READ: 500 policemen deployed to Cebu City cemeteries — CCPO exec
No vendors, no bringing of food inside Cebu City cemeteries during ‘Kalag-Kalag’