Visayas safety, security measures set for ‘Undas’
TUDELA, Cebu – Local government and law enforcement authorities in Cebu yesterday firmed up and finalized preparations for “undas” as the number of travelers and visitors in transport terminals and cemeteries started to swell.
The Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 has already put security preparations in place to ensure that people going to the different cemeteries in Cebu and other parts of Central Visayas will be safe and secured during the observance.
In Cebu, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) 7 has allowed additional 35 Ceres Bus units to ply different routes in the province to ensure that passengers going back to their hometowns will have enough transportation.
Seasonal demand Meanwhile, enterprising individuals have started setting up shop near cemeteries in anticipation of large crowds looking for flowers, candles, tomb markers and tomb maintenance services.
For 43-year-old Nico Borromeo, whose family lives in one of the mausoleums inside the Calamba Cemetery, one of the biggest cemeteries in Cebu City, All Souls’ Day is a peak season for the family’s business.
Borromeo makes tomb markers while his wife, Esther, sells candles and flowers. His two kids, 12-year-old Jonathan, and 10-year-old Mark Anthony, will be busy offering their services as tomb painters, for a fee.
“This is just once in a year so we have to be ready and make sure that we have enough candles, flowers, and paints to meet the demand,” Borromeo said in Cebuano.
Felicitas Abella, 67, is also looking forward to the observance of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day, when her prayer services are most sought after at the Carreta Cemetery.
Ormoc traffic management The Ormoc City government will enforce a traffic management plan designed to ease vehicular and pedestrian traffic at the Catholic Cemetery during All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day.
The Catholic cemetery, located in Can-adieng village, less than a kilometer from downtown, is perched on a plateau several meters above sea level and overlooking Ormoc Bay. It has two parallel access roads.
The public is advised to take note of the traffic plan’s rules that will be implemented for the first time, one of which is the one-way policy.
Pedestrians can walk up to the cemetery using the main access road but will have to take the parallel alternate road on their way out.
Vehicles are off limits at the alternate road which will be solely for pedestrian-use.
Motorcycles will have to be parked at the Can-adieng covered court as those will not be allowed entry to the cemetery.
Iloilo airport security
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has tightened security at the Iloilo Airport in Cabatuan town as part of “Oplan Undas’’.
CAAP said that stringent security measures have been set up leading to and at the entrance of the airport to ensure the safety of airline passengers and personnel.
CAAP also set up assistance desk for travelers to easily ask for information and assistance.
Iloilo airport has 31 domestic and one international flight per day.
Guimaras first aid teams
The Guimaras Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) will deploy first aid teams to the 15 public and private cemeteries in the island province on October 31 and November 1 in time for the observance of “undas”.
Teresa Siazon, Guimaras PDRRM Officer said that the first aiders are trained to provide immediate assistance to cemetery visitors and employees requiring immediate medical attention.
She said that the police are also setting up public assistance centers at the cemeteries with the augmentation of the barangay tanods and the Municipal DRRMCs.
There are also public assistance centers at the Jordan and Buenavista wharves manned by coast guard personnel.
Tight Boracay security The Boracay Tourist Assistance Office (BTAC) has beefed up security measures in this resort island for the observance of the All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day this weekend with the expected influx of tourists.
Senior Inspector Fidel Gentallan, BTAC chief, said police personnel will be deployed in different areas in Boracay as part of Oplan Ligtas Undas from October 31 to November 2.
Aside from the locals who will visit the cemeteries in Boracay, Gentallan said a huge volume of tourists is expected to celebrate Halloween parties here.
“Boracay is known for its nightlife and a lot of establishment will be staging Halloween–themed parties. We expect that a lot of travelers will visit the island to spend their Halloween here,” he said.
In line with this, Gentallan said more police will be visible in ports and in tourist areas in the island.
“We will establish tourist assistance desk in Caticlan and Cagban Port and also at the front beach area,” he added.