No overnight stay in cemeteries on Undas 2022 pushed

CDN Digital File Photo 2019

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Even with the easing of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, residents of Cebu City might still not be able to stay for long inside cemeteries during the traditional Undas celebration on Nov. 1 and 2, 2022.

Cebu City Councilor Philip Zafra, chairman of the Committee on Public Order, said the committee and the police decided to recommend to Mayor Michael Rama to prohibit overnight stay in the city’s cemeteries during those times.

He, however, said they were in favor of having public cemeteries open to the public from as early as 6 a.m. until midnight on those days.

“Among recommendation nga wala g’yoy overnight stay didto for the safety sad sa mga mangadto. Anyway, naa may enough days nga makaadto. Ang ato lang g’yod is atong ma-maintain ang peace and order didto sa area,” he told CDN Digital in a phone interview on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022.

(Our recommendation is that there will be no overnight stay there for the safety of those who will go there. Anyway, there are enough days to go there. Our purpose is to maintain the peace and order there in the area.)

Zafra added that among their recommendations for the Undas 2023 was the ban on alcoholic beverages and gambling in the vicinity of cemeteries.

These, however, still need the final approval of the mayor who is expected to issue an executive order related to the celebration.

“We will always be ready kung muingon si mayor nga pwede ra sad magovernight. We could always adjust. But for now, mao nay nasabutan namo with the police,” Zafra said.

(We will always be ready if the mayor will say that overnight stay there is allowed. We could always adjust. But for now, that is what we agreed upon with the police.)

Zafra said enough city police force would be deployed during and days going to the celebration of All Souls’ and All Saints’ Day.

Augmentation forces are also on standby if need be.

He said the city could deploy auxiliary forces, such as barangay tanods and traffic personnel through the Cebu City Transportation Office to help the police to ensure security.

Zafra said the city would coordinate with the management of private cemeteries as well.

Meanwhile, as the Undas celebration this year is the first under the new normal, the councilor encouraged the public to still wear their face masks, especially with the expected crowd inside public cemeteries during those times.

“Ang among recommendation and also sa atong police nga open na g’yod ta. But we just have to encourage sa atong mga kaigsoonan nga kung mahimo, magsul-ob gihapon og mask because we are anticipating a large crowd g’yod ang muadto ana, even during the weekend prior to that, on the 29th and the 30th kay mao may Sabado ug Domingo,” he said.

(Our recommendation and also to our police that we are really open. But we just have to encourage our brothers that if possible, they will still wear face masks because we are anticipating a large crowd that will go there, even during the weekend prior to that, on the 29th and 30th, because that is Saturday and Sunday.)

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