Cebuanos pay homage to the departed
Reliving strong family ties is what drive thousands of Cebuanos to cemeteries to offer candles, flowers, prayers and to simply relive memories of the departed.
Long lines have been observed since Thursday in Cebu’s bus terminals serving northern and southern provincial routes as workers in Metro Cebu exodus for the All Saints and All Souls days and the long weekend.Bus companies admit to shortage of seats and units to comfortably bring passengers to their destinations.
Cebu seaports and the Mactan Cebu International Airport are also abuzz with passengers going to destinations in the Visayas, Mindanao and even Luzon.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) is on full alert in the transportation terminals and cemeteries. Citizens are warned not to be bring alcoholic beverages and deadly weapons to cemeteries.
So far, as of noontime, Friday, no major crimes were reported in Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu cities, except for some the confiscation of a number bladed weapons at cemetery gates.
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma celebrated Mass at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral Mausoleum where former archbishops and priests in Cebu were buried.
Palma asked the faithful to prepare for their death.
Families take advantage of the holiday to have reunions at the different cemeteries holding picnics while small entrepreneurs make sales windfall.
In Mandaue City, paramedics are on standby in barangay Guizo where at least five cemeteries are located.
In Queen City Garden, one of the biggest private cemeteries in Cebu City, the celebration is relatively “peaceful” says PO1 Christian Yangson of the Cebu City Police Office.
Two mobile units of Special Weapons ang Tactics (SWAT), 20 barangay peacekeeping action team and four police from the CCPO are on patrol.
In the Carreta Public cemetery, CCTV cameras were installed at the entrance and exits.
Flowers and candles were offered to the victims of the ill-fated MV St. Thomas Aquinas. As of this morning, there are no families who visited the victims yet.
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