Kalag-Kalag in Cebu City ‘peaceful and orderly,’ authorities see fewer visitors on first day

Residents visited their departed loved ones on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, in observance of the All Saints’ Day. | Photo by Niña Mae Oliverio

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Despite the significant number of individuals, who flocked to cemeteries to visit their departed loved ones for All Saints’ Day on Wednesday, November 1, the situation has been generally peaceful and orderly in Cebu City.

Since early morning on Wednesday, people have began gathering at the various cemeteries located in the city aiming to show their respects to their loved ones for the Kalag-Kalag.

READ: LIVE UPDATES: Kalag-Kalag or Undas 2023

Kalag-Kalag assessment: All Saints’ Day

The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) described the observance of All Saints’ Day this year as general peaceful and orderly.

On Wednesday morning. Police Colonel Ireneo Dalogdog lead the ocular inspections at some of the cemeteries in the city to make sure that police personnel deployed at each areas are prepared to respond to any situations and to maintain the peace and order.

In an interview with reporters, Police Lieutenant Colonel Janette Rafter, CCPO deputy director for operations, said that the situation had been orderly so far as no untoward incidents were recorded.

‘Sumala sa assessment sa atong city director, si Police Colonel Ireneo Dalogdog, nga altough syempre normal na jud na ang pagkadaghan sa tawo karong mga higayona kay ato gyud ning ginapa-abot sa matag tuig. But again, magpasalamat lang pud ang atong city director sa kooperasyon gayud sa tanan, sa pagsunod sa mga kamanduan sama sa wala pagdala sa hinagiban,” she said.

(According to the assessment of our city director, Police Colonel Ireneo Dalogdog, that although, of course, it is normal that people will be there at this time because we await this every year. But again, the city director thanked all for cooperating on the orders like the one not to bring weapons inside the cemetery.)

READ: Kalag-Kalag 2023: Do’s and Don’ts when visiting cemeteries

Entrance of cemeteries

At the entrance of the cemeteries, police personnel are set up to inspect the belongings of visitors to ensure that they are not brining prohibited items such as firearms, sharp objects, sound systems, and alcoholic drinks.

According to Rafter, there have been no record of any confiscations made except for a few items that have been turned over in accordance with the rules of the cemeteries.

“So far, since nag-abri kita gahapon, walą gyud tay mga naconfiscate nga mga hinagiban. Although naay mga naturn-over but upon entrance nila. Kay naa man gyuy gilimit ang atong mga sam-ang nga dapat, paggahapon ang katapusang pagpamlimpyo sa ilang mga gaiya nga mga pantyon sa ilang mga hinigugma,” said Rafter.

(So far, since the cemeteries opened yesterday, we had not confiscated any weapons. Although, there are those who turned over, but this was upon their entrance to the cemeteries. Because our cemeteries still have to limit, yesterday afternoon was the last time that they can clean the tombs of their respective departed loved ones.)

READ: Sleeping at cemeteries and other Filipino All Souls Day traditions

Kalag-Kalag visitors told to continue to cooperate

With the expectation that the number of visitors may increase on Wednesday night and on Thursday, November 2 for the observance of All Souls’ Day, Rafter reminded the public to continue to cooperate with police for the safety of everyone.

“Ang atong mga sementeryo sa pagkakaron nagpabiling malinaw ug orderly ga gyud. So again,  among gihangyo ang tanan. In behalf of our city director, I would like again to encourage everybody to please cooperate and katong mga ginadili gani…Ug karon sa kainit sa panahon, unta malikayan ang pagdala sa mga bata. Ato lang sang likayan tungod sa kainit sa panahon,” she said.

(And for our cemeteries, for now, have remained peaceful and orderly. So again, we appeal to all. On behalf of our city director, I would like again to encourage everybody to please cooperate and those prohibited things …And now because of heat of the weather, we hope that they will avoid bringing small children with them. We will just avoid this because of the heat of the weather.)

READ: DOH: Spare young kids from infection, keep them off crowded cemeteries

On children and the heat

Rafter also advised the public to refrain from bringing small children and for elderly people to make a visit later during the day when they can avoid the heat.

“Ug katong atong mga kaigsuonan, atong mga tatay, mga lolo nga medyo may edad-edad na, pwede únya na lang siguro nga medyo landong na ang panahon,” she added.

(And to those of our brothers, our tatay, our lolos, who are older, perhaps they can visit when the sun is no longer very hot.)

In the Carreta Cemetery, one of the biggest public cemeteries in Cebu City, an estimated total of 3,000 individuals have gone through the cemetery since morning until 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday. A total of 17,500 individuals were recorded to have visited the Calamba Public Cemetery on November 1.

Meanwhile, in Mandaue City, the estimated crowd count is 8,700 for the day.

READ: All Souls’ Day: Why do we pray for the dead?

Fewer cemetery visitors

Rafter also said that there were fewer visitors this year in comparison to the crowd of visitors on the same day on 2022.

However, she said that this could be because this is only the first day and that many individuals opted to visit the cemeteries on Monday, October 30, after they cast their votes for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).

“Lesser pa siya because this is the first day nga pagselebrar gyud, pag-anhi, pag-bisita. But ato man gung na-obserbaran nga since niatong petsa 30, naa nay mga niadto, nagbisita na sa ilahang mga hinigugma sa mga sementeryo. Siguro, gi-take pud nila ang opportunity nga gikan pagbotar, nideretso na sila sa mga sam-angan,” said Rafter.

(There are fewer people visiting because this is the first day to celebrate, to come here, to visit. But we also observed that since October 30, there were already those who went to the cemetery, they visited their departed loved ones in the cemetery. Perhaps, they also took the opportunity to vote, then they directly went to the cemeteries.)

READ: Heat index in Cebu on November 1 falls under extreme caution category

Enough cops to secure Kalag-Kalag

Regarding the deployment of police personnel in the total of 21 cemeteries in Cebu City, Rafter assured that there were enough security forces that could ensure the safety of the public until the end of Kalag-Kalag.

According to Rafter, a total of 250 police personnel are deployed at all the cemeteries in the city to ensure that this year’s observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day will end with no untoward incidents causing a disturbance. 

Meanwhile, the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) has also recorded no untoward incidents happening in the region on Wednesday, November 1.

This was according to Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of the PRO-7, who spoke to reporters through a phone interview.

READ: ‘Undas’ 2023: PNP dispatches over 27,000 cops; no info on road closures

PRO-7 assessment

“So far, as of this time, wala pay nadawat nga report sa lower units nga naay mga untoward incidents. Ang atong kapulisan kauban sa ubang mga ahensya sa gobyerno, nagbantay gihapon sa atong mga sementeryo to make sure that everything is okay as far as security is concerned,’ said Pelare.

(So far, as of this time, we did not receive any report from the lower units that there was any untoward incident. Our police together with other agencies of the government, continue to monitor our cemeteries to make sure that everything is okay as far as security is concerned.)

He also said that in the whole region, they had observed that there were lesser crowds compared to previous times. 

However, he assured that they would continue to monitor the situation inside the numerous cemeteries in Central Visayas to secure the public’s safety as they would visit their lost loved ones during the Kalag-Kalag. 

READ: Kalag-Kalag traffic ‘is manageable’ on November 1 says traffic czar

Traffic and heat

Meanwhile, in terms of traffic, according to the Traffic Management Committee (TMC) head, Councilor Rey Gealon, the traffic flow was “manageable.”

He said that the traffic management plan of the TMC was implemented as planned and was followed accordingly.

And as of 2 p.m, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration in Mactan (Pagasa-Mactan) recorded a 40-degrees celsius heat index.

Ana Dumdum and Mark Gales, weather specialists of Pagasa-Mactan Forecasting Section, confirmed to CDN Digital that the weather condition on the Kalag-Kalag starting on Wednesday would be the same until tomorrow, Thursday, November 2. Pagasa-Mactan advised the visiting public to secure protective gears against heat, and bring their umbrellas as well when going to the cemeteries.