Over 2.2 million people visited Metro Manila cemeteries during the observance of All Saints’ Day on Wednesday, according to the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).
Data from the NCRPO showed that as of 6 p.m., around 2,285,205 have visited cemeteries in the metropolis.
Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, director of the NCRPO, said the observance of the All Saints’ Day has been generally peaceful despite the huge number of people who paid respects to their departed loved ones.
“Itong Undas natin, kagaya kahapon, generally peaceful,” he told reporters. “Generally, talagang safe lahat ng nakakapunta dito at iyon ay dahil din syempre sa pinakitang kooperasyon ng ating mga kababayan,” he said.
(The observance of All Saints’ Day is generally peaceful…Everyone is safe and of course that’s also because of the cooperation of the public.)
According to the NCRPO, the bulk of visitors was recorded at the Manila North Cemetery, which has 1.37 million visitors as of Thursday afternoon.
READ: 1.5 million visitors expected to visit Manila North Cemetery for ‘Undas’
“Ito ang dinadagsa kaya nga ang security measures dito ay talagang binigyan natin ng magandang atensyon (This is where the people flock the most, that’s why we really prioritized security measures here),” Eleazar said.
It was followed by other major cemeteries — Manila South Cemetery with around 360,589 visitors; Manila Memorial Park with 82,512; La Loma Cemetery with 40,800; and “Parokya ng Pagkabuhay” Cemetery with 37,757.
Eleazar, however, apologized for the inconvenience brought about by the long queues in some cemeteries due to the strict enforcement of police inspection.
“Noong umaga nakita natin talagang grabe, ang dami ng tao. Ang haba ng pila, pero humihingi tayo ng pasensya dahil we cannot get away with the inspection,” he said.
(We’ve seen the long queues in the morning, and we apologize for that because we cannot do away with the inspection.)
He said it is necessary to confiscate items that could cause harm inside the cemeteries.
According to Eleazar, local government units and other government agencies and volunteer groups have also helped secure the cemeteries for safe observance of the All Saints’ Day. /ee