Nonstop rains fail to deter Metro Manila cemetery goers

Love ones offer and light candles for the dearly departed at the Manila North Cemetery in Manila on Wednesday, November 1, 2017 as the country celebrate All Saints’ Day. INQUIRER PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

The nonstop rain brought by Tropical Depression “Ramil” on All Saints’ Day failed to stop people from visiting their loved ones in cemeteries all over Metro Manila.

Crowd estimates at Manila North Cemetery reached around 90,000 as of 4 p.m. with no untoward incidents reported, according to Supt. Erwin Margarejo, Manila Police District spokesperson.

It was the biggest turnout recorded among the four cemeteries in Manila being watched by the police.

Around 15,000 visitors were reported in Manila South Cemetery located in Makati City compared to 4,500 in La Loma Cemetery and only 200 at Manila Chinese Cemetery.

Banned items seized

At Manila North Cemetery, some visitors defied repeated warnings as the police confiscated banned items, including 63 bladed weapons, 195 flammable materials, a bottle of liquor and three packs of playing cards.

In Manila South Cemetery, visitors came armed with ball caps and umbrellas against the rain.

Lourdes Buenaventura, an 82-year-old grandmother from Putatan, Muntinlupa, ended up being sent to a hospital for treatment after she tripped over a wet spot in the cemetery.

At  Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City, visitors ballooned to more than 43,000. The 142-hectare cemetery hosts over 50,000 graves, including those of former presidents, national artists, soldiers and policemen.

The family of former President Ferdinand Marcos marked All Saints’ Day by attending mass at his grave, their first time to do so since his hasty burial in November last year.

Among those present were his wife, Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos and children, former Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Irene Araneta.

Marcos Jr. called the event significant, saying that “[Marcos] is finally buried in his final resting place. We are finally allowed to consecrate his life and death like all other Filipinos.”

Selfies at Marcos’ tomb

He added it was “heart-warming” to see Filipinos from all over the country visiting his father and still supporting their family, with people taking selfies at Marcos’ tomb.

At Manila Memorial Park in  Sucat, Parañaque, the caretaker of the graves of former President Cory Aquino and husband,  Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr., said that their children, ex-President Benigno Aquino III and his sisters, Kris, Balsy, Pinky and Viel, were there on Sunday.