Visitors at Loyola Memorial Park expected to peak on Tuesday

MANILA, Philippines- Visitors at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City are coming in trickles a day before All Saints Day, according to the Susan De La Paz, Park Superintendent.

“We expect the visitors arrival to peak on November 1.” De La Paz said.

An estimated 3,000 people have visited so far one day before All Saints Day De La Paz said. Traffic is still light and there have been few reported incidents. But the park has kept their security tight in anticipation of the increase in visitors.

The park has 56 security personnel per day. They are in close coordination with the City Health Office who offer medical aid, the Philippine National Police Marikina who provide police assistance, the Department of Social Welfare and Development who assist parents and children who may have gone astray from each other and, with the Marikina City Rescue 161 who provide rapid response to any emergency in the park.

Park administration has given out leaflets detailing the park’s rules and guidelines and also includes a map of the park.

Alcoholic beverages and gambling is strictly prohibited. Special decorations on individual interment sites that are not aesthetically pleasing or may be hazardous will be removed by park personnel. Tents will only be allowed from October 30 to November 4.

Various concessionaires from food and beverages to internet and digital TV service providers have set up their own stalls within the park.

Some of the celebrities buried in the Loyola Memorial Park are musician Francis Magalona, actress Nida Blanca, newspaper founder Betty Go-Belmonte, actress Julie Vega, among others.

De La Paz said that they expect fewer people to come on November 1 in comparison with previous years because many took the chance to come earlier during the weekend.