MANILA, Philippines - Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle urged the Catholic faithful to pray to the saints today.
Tagle said the public should remember that Nov. 1 is All Saints’ Day and it is intended to remember and pray for the saints.
“The Catholic Church is not against having enjoyment, but let us put it at its proper place. Most especially, let us not forget the meaning of our celebration,” Tagle said over the Church-run Radio Veritas.
Dioceses and religious groups have organized the March of Saints wherein children dress up like their favorite saints and parade around the neighborhood to remind the faithful of the significance of All Saints’ Day.
Tagle said he is hoping that the March of Saints would help revive the real meaning of All Saints’ Day.
P-Noy inspects NAIA,
Port Area
Meanwhile, President Aquino yesterday inspected the North Port Passenger Terminal in Tondo, Manila and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 and the bus terminals of JAC Liner Inc. and DLTB in Pasay City to check the readiness of these facilities for the influx of people who would leave Metro Manila to observe All Saints’ Day elsewhere.
Aquino was accompanied by Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya and other Cabinet officials.
At the DLTB bus terminal, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. told reporters that Aquino was happy with the preparations and that all precautionary measures were taken for the safety of the passengers.
Unlike past inspections, nobody got reprimanded or called to task yesterday.
At the Port Area, the President only asked that the luggages near the emergency exit of the MV St. Leo The Great ferry be fixed so the lane would be cleared of any blockage.
“Aside from that, he was really gladdened by what he saw…our fellowmen were comfortably waiting there,” Coloma said.
The President also asked Rear Admiral Luis Tuason Jr. of the Philippine Coast Guard to deploy more K-9 dogs as additional security and precautionary measure.
At the NAIA Terminal 3, Aquino only wanted the X-ray machines and clearing of cargo to be more efficient.
“There was no overloading anywhere and at the airport we saw that there was an area for early arrivals because it was suggested that they (passengers) come three to five hours instead of one to two hours in the past,” Coloma said.
“No one was rushing, there was no congestion,” he added.
Police force deployed
Thousands of people yesterday started to flock to cemeteries in southern Metro Manila, but the situation remained peaceful, the Southern Police District (SPD) said.
As of noon yesterday, the crowd estimate was already at 27,753 in cemeteries in Pasay, Taguig, Muntinlupa, Parañaque and Pateros.
SPD director Chief Supt. Henry Rañola said the SPD has deployed 1,579 officers to be augmented by 200 officers from the National Capital Region Police Office and by a 2,495-strong force multiplier group composed of barangay security teams, amateur radio groups and security guards.
The SPD is also keeping watch on 13 bus terminals, four airports, 20 shopping malls and stations of the Light Rail Transit and Metro Rail Transit that are located in its jurisdiction.
The Quezon City Police District, meanwhile, has not only deployed uniformed personnel but also undercover cops to ensure round-the-clock security at cemeteries and terminals in the city, QCPD director Senior Supt. Joel Pagdilao said.
Intelligence operatives in plain clothes are assigned at the Araneta Center bus terminal to monitor any untoward incident that might disrupt the safe transit of passengers bound for the provinces.
An intelligence operative at the terminal explained they have to not look like a policeman so it will not defeat the purpose of their undercover work. Their work complements that of uniformed policemen assigned to areas of convergence.
Rerouting in Camanava
The Northern Police District, for its part, has deployed 661 police officers to monitor traffic and maintain peace and order at the 24 cemeteries in Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela (Camanava).
Caloocan City Mayor Oscar Malapitan also announced rerouting schemes in roads leading to these cemeteries.
He said portions of Mabini Street from the north side of Gen. San Miguel to the boundary of Caloocan-Malabon would be closed to all kinds of vehicular traffic from 12:01 a.m. on Nov. 1 up to 6 a.m. on Nov. 2.
Portions of the south side of C-3 road from the entrance gate of La Funeraria Paz will be also closed to all kinds of vehicular traffic from 12:01 a.m. on Nov. 1 up to 6 a.m. on Nov. 2.
One-way traffic will be observed at the North Luzon Expressway east service road leading to Eternal Gardens on both south to north direction from 4 a.m. to 12 midnight on Nov. 1.
Vehicles coming out from the main gate of Eternal Gardens are advised to turn right going north and take Baesa Road to Quirino Avenue going to Novaliches.
Soldiers on standby
The military alert during All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day remains normal but troops, especially those who are on field duty, are on standby for any eventuality, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said.
The military will not upgrade its alert status, but is giving field commanders a free hand to adjust security measures when needed.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council operations center, on the other hand, will remain on blue alert for the weekend to ensure enough manpower in the event of an emergency. A blue alert places half of the personnel in the operations center on standby.
The Philippine Red Cross (PRC), meanwhile, has set up first aid stations in cemeteries, along highways and in major bus terminals and port areas nationwide to ensure the safety of people who will be visiting their departed relatives today.
A total of 170 cemeteries, 25 major highways and 95 welfare desks will be manned by more than 1,700 PRC staff and volunteers.
The PRC has also dispatched ambulances along major highways, PRC secretary general Gwendolyn Pang said. – With Mike Frialde, Reinir Padua, Mayen Jaymalin, Rey Galupo, Alexis Romero, Jaime Laude, Aurea Calica