‘If you were here on Sunday, it was like All Saints Day’

Inside the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City. INQUIRER.net / Jhoanna Ballaran

Fewer people flocked to the Manila Memorial Park in this year’s All Saints’ Day Eve, authorities said on Tuesday.

Records of the Manila Memorial Park Security Office showed that as of 5 p.m., more than 46,000 people trooped the cemetery, not even half of the 102,270 visitors recorded last year.

In explaining the low turnout, Police Chief Inspector Arnold Sadorra, head of BF Homes Police Community Precinct, said the holiday fell on a weekday and many have already visited their departed over the weekend.

Manila Memorial Park security guard Amando Ombiang said it was like All Saints Day at the cemetery last Sunday, with the numbers reaching roughly about 80,000 to 90,000.

“Kung andito kayo nung Linggo iisipin niyo Undas na,” he told INQUIRER.net.

(If you were here last Sunday you would have thought it was already All Saints Day.)

Sadorra said many people may have opted to visit their dead to avoid the huge volume of people expected to arrive on Nov. 1.

Many may have also taken advantage of taking a leave on Monday, a working day, which fell between Sunday and two consecutive holidays – Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, the official said./ac