Authorities prepare early for 'undas'

MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will deploy 1,450 traffic enforcers to all major thoroughfares in the metropolis starting Friday to regulate traffic around public cemeteries and private memorial parks on the long weekend that extends to All Saints' Day.

In an inter-agency meeting Monday, MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino discussed contingency plans to ensure the safety of thousands of motorists, commuters and pedestrians heading to the suburbs or the provinces for the long weekend holiday for the observance of All Saints and All Souls Days, when families traditionally visit the graves of departed loved ones.

Attending the meeting were representatives from the Philippine National Police, Traffic Enforcement Group, Highway Patrol Group, and local government units.

Traffic enforcers will be deployed to critical areas where heavy traffic is anticipated, including roads leading to major cemeteries and memorial parks metro-wide such as North, South, and Chinese cemeteries in Manila; Manila and Loyola Memorial Parks in Parañaque; La Loma, Bagbag, Himlayan, Eternal, and Holy Cross in Quezon City.

Meanwhile, the Southern Police District (SPD) Monday said that security preparations are now in place for next week’s observance of All Souls Day in the southern part of Metro Manila.

Chief Inspector Jenny Tecson, chief of the SPD’s Public Information Office, said that police personnel from the district will be on full alert as early as Wednesday to ensure the safety of the public who are expected to troop to various cemeteries on the long weekend to pay their respects to their dead.

Aside from securing cemeteries located in the cities of Taguig, Makati, Pasay, Parañaque, Muntinlupa, Las Piñas and the municipality of Pateros, policemen will also be tasked to guard vital installations: Churches, shopping malls, bus terminals, the MRT and LRT stations, and other places expected to be frequented by the people during next week’s observance of All Saints' Day and All Souls Day.

In Manila, Mayor Alfredo Lim advised residents to start early in sprucing up their relatives’ tombs and niches in the Manila North and South cemeteries.

Lim said that the Manila North Cemetery will allow cleaning of the tombs and niches until October 31 while vehicles will only be allowed to enter the cemetery premises until midnight of October 29.

Anna Liza Villas, Manila Bulletin