INQUIRER.net / Noy Morcoso
MANILA, Philippines — The commander of the Joint Task Force COVID Shield favors the staggered visitation scheme in cemeteries for this year’s “Undas” to prevent crowding.
Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar on Friday noted that in Metro Manila, cemeteries are always full during the “Undas” season, based on his experience as National Capital Region Police Office chief.
“Itong October 31 at November 1, talagang dudumugin ng mga tao at siguradong magkakaroon tayo ng problema dyan. Kung kaya, kung ‘yan po ay isasarado at gagawing spread out sa ibang araw ay napakaganda po niyan,” he told ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo.
(People will really crowd cemeteries on October 31 and November 1 and we will surely have problems. Closing the cemeteries on these dates and encouraging visits spread out over several days would be ideal.)
He also praised the decision of some mayors in Metro Manila and other provinces to implement a staggered visitation scheme in cemeteries.
The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases has yet to provide a directive to the police on the visitation schedules, according to the police official.
On Thursday, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said he will propose a staggered visitation scheme in cemeteries in a bid to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in cemeteries during the observance of “Undas.”