MANILA, Philippines — Anticipating the surge of people heading to the provinces for Undas, Malacañang yesterday directed agencies to intensify security measures and provide assistance to stranded passengers during All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days.
In a statement yesterday, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said President Marcos wants to ensure enhanced police visibility at transport hubs, ports and other places of convergence by deploying K9 units.
Malacañang ordered the Philippine National Police to intensify patrols, security inspections and other anti-crime measures such as the conduct of random drug testing for public utility vehicle drivers to prevent accidents.
“The President wants every trip to be safe and assistance should be provided immediately when necessary. A huge number of vehicles is not enough. We have to ensure that passengers are safe,” Recto said.
He also asked the transportation department to prepare backup vehicles and vessels in case regular trips cannot accommodate passengers.
Flower prices to go up
Prices of flowers at the Dangwa market in Manila remained stable as of yesterday, but are expected to climb from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1.
Lloyd Casyao, president of the Manila Flower Center-Flower Vendors Association, said stocks are still sufficient in shops, but they are expecting more demand as Undas nears.
“If the supply runs out, flowers priced at P200 might go up to P300 to P350. It depends on the type of flowers and arrangement,” Casyao said.
According to Casyao, Malaysian chrysantemums and orchids remain the most popular choices for cemetery visits.
He advised customers to purchase flowers a few days before Undas to save on costs when demand increases.
2 million cemetery visitors
As Undas falls on a weekend, Manila North Cemetery director Daniel Tan said they expect around two million visitors this year, up from 1.8 million last year.
At the Manila South Cemetery (MSC) in Makati, caretakers rushed to complete repainting of tombs on the last day of the allowed cleaning period.
MSC director John Mark Mendez said about 23,000 visitors went to the cemetery over the weekend to clean and repaint the tombs of their dead.
“Last year, we had 500,000 visitors, but we expect the number to increase to between 700,000 and one million this year,” Mendez told The STAR.
Visitors will be allowed to enter the cemetery from Oct. 29 to Nov. 2, from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Both the Manila North and South cemeteries will prohibit vehicles from entering their premises from Oct. 29 to Nov. 2.
Visitors are also banned from bringing firearms and knives. Smoking, drinking alcohol and gambling are also not allowed. Pets are prohibited inside the cemeteries.
Cemetery officials said Oct. 28 is the last day for interment. Burials will resume on Nov. 3 in both cemeteries.
NAIA passengers
Around 1.25 million passengers are expected to flock to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminals from Oct. 27 to Nov. 4.
Airport operator New NAIA Infrastructure Corp. (NNIC) said Oct. 30 is expected to be the busiest day, with about 149,000 travelers passing through the country’s main gateway.
NNIC said it is stepping up preparations for the Undas rush, including round-the-clock operational monitoring, passenger assistance service, heightened security and closer coordination with airlines, ground handlers and transport providers. — Andrew Ronquillo, Rudy Santos