A Philippine National Police official appealed to Metro Manila residents who went home to the provinces for the "undas" observance to delay their return to avoid huge traffic.
This, according to National Capital Region Police Office spokesperson, Lt. Col. Dexter Versola, in an interview on Daily Tribune's Gising Na! digital program on Tuesday.
Major highways going to Metro Manila usually turn into virtual parking lots at the end of a long weekend holiday.
Versola said police visibility in cemeteries preempted untoward incidents.
Police assistance desks were put up in cemeteries to assist visitors while sharp objects, cigarettes, and even perfumes were confiscated at the entrance.
Several persons, he said, were arrested for drinking liquor and bringing unlicensed firearms.
Assuring that the police will continue to monitor the situation, he said the NCRPO had activated tactical motorcycle units to patrol cemeteries, terminals, and subdivisions.
Traffic volume was heavy in areas near cemeteries, he added.
MNC draws 1M visitors
An estimated one million visitors flocked to the Manila North Cemetery on a rainy Tuesday.
Visitors started to arrive after the cemetery opened at 5 a.m. with the police and MNC personnel manning the entrance.
Traffic flows were described as smooth and moderate as police set up a barricade at the foot of Dimasalang Bridge to bar vehicles from entering the main road leading to MNC itself.
Roads leading to A. Bonifacio Street fronting the gate of the cemetery were also opened.
In a report submitted by the Manila Police District, there were 22 bladed materials, 736 flammable materials, and 791 packs of cigarettes confiscated.
Garbage collected at MNC and Manila South Cemetery filled 28 and 60 trucks, respectively.
At the Manila South Cemetery, police said about 204,000 came despite incessant rains, beyond the 100,000 people they expected.
The long queues of people entering the cemetery even reached Chino Roces Avenue extension from Pablo Ocampo Street where the gate of the cemetery is located.
More than a hundred children below 12 years old were barred from entering the cemetery and placed in a holding area with their parents.
Muntinlupa deploys government personnel
The city government of Muntinlupa deployed policemen and government personnel in different cemeteries to ensure safety and security in the area Tuesday.
The deployment, ordered by Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon, involves barangay and city government offices including the Muntinlupa City Department of Disaster Resilience and Management, Muntinlupa Traffic Management Bureau, Muntinlupa City Engineering Department, Environmental Sanitation Center, City Security Office, Public Order and Safety Office.
Also on hand were the Muntinlupa police and Bureau of Fire Protection personnel.
Biazon said employees of the Community Affairs and Development Office will be monitoring the situation while personnel from the City Health Office will "ensure the implementation of health protocols and provide immediate medical care if needed."
Emergency vehicles including ambulances, fire trucks, and police vehicles were also deployed in cemeteries.
The city government also provided free rides from the Susana Heights road to the Everest Hills Memorial Park.
Biazon reminded people to follow health protocols and the three-hour time limit.
All private and public cemeteries in Muntinlupa were open Tuesday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Overnight stays were not allowed as well as the selling of food and merchandise.
Navotas controls visitors
Navotas, which has several cemeteries under its jurisdiction, has resorted to requiring gate passes to make crowd control manageable.
Visitors had to secure a certain date and a two-hour schedule within the cemetery's operating hours from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. to the designated "Text JRT" number.
They need to provide their names, ages, and home addresses.
Navotas City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office chief Von Villanueva said this method ensures a certain quota in the number of people during a certain period, avoiding crowds of people inside cemeteries.
"We limited the number of people inside to just around a thousand at any one time. With this, we could ensure that we could prevent packed crowds inside the cemetery," Villanueva said.
