Over 78K visit Libingan ng mga Bayani for 2023 Undas

More than 78,000 cemetery-goers have visited their departed loved ones at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig during this year's All Souls' and All Saints' holidays..

Col. Xerxes Trinidad, the Philippine Army spokesperson and concurrent Armed Forces of the Philippines' Public Affairs Office chief, said they have logged some 78,019 LNMB visitors as of 6 p.m. of 2 November. 

"This is still cumulative [count] from 6 a.m. of 31 October to 6 p.m. of 2 November 2023," Trinidad told the Daily Tribune. 

Citing data from the Grave Services Unit of Army Support Command, Trinidad said around 54,668 cemetery-goers have visited their departed loved ones, while a total of 14,223 vehicles have entered the area as of 6 p.m. on 1 November. 

Based on the Philippine Army's latest data, the number of cemetery-goers this year is higher than the Undas observance numbers in the past three years, with only 14,496 visitors recorded in 2022; 36,760 in 2019; and 50,699 in 2018.

Trinidad noted that there were some 14,681 early visitors and 3,897 vehicles entered the LNMB on 31 October.

Among the early cemetery-goers were former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who visited her father, former President Diosdado Macapagal, on 30 October, and Senator Raffy Tulfo who visited his father's grave on 29 October.

Incumbent President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also visited his father and namesake, former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., for All Saints' Day on 1 November. He was joined by his mother, former First Lady Imelda Marcos, and sister Irene Marcos.

Under the regulations of the AFP, the persons qualified to be interred at the LNMB includes Medal of Valor awardees; Presidents or AFP commander-in-chief; Secretaries of national defense; AFP chiefs of staff; Generals/flag officers of the AFP; Active and retired military personnel of the AFP (including active draftees and trainees who died in line of duty, and active reservists and CAFGU Active Auxiliary who died in combat-related activities); Former members of the AFP who laterally entered or joined the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine National Police ; Veterans of Philippine Revolution of 1890, World War I, World War II and recognized guerrillas; and government dignitaries, statesmen, National Artists and other deceased persons whose interment and re-interment has been approved by the commander-in-chief, Congress or the secretary of national defense.

The AFP guidelines state that military personnel who have been dishonorably discharged from service, or personnel convicted of an offense involving moral turpitude, are not qualified for interment at the cemetery.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police said the observance of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day was "generally peaceful" despite some cemetery-goers still bringing prohibited items. 

In a televised public briefing, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said they have monitored more than 3 million people visiting their departed loved ones in various cemeteries in the country since Thursday.

Fajardo said the PNP has confiscated lighters, cigarettes and liquor from cemetery-goers. 

No untoward incidents have so far been reported, she added.

More than 37,000 police personnel were deployed nationwide for Undas 2023.