In observance of All Souls’ Day, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) offered simultaneous mass services yesterday in various penal facilities for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) who died during their incarceration.

BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. ordered his superintendents to place one big wreath for the departed PDLs in their respective areas of jurisdiction to symbolize unity and solidarity in remembering those who passed away while in detention.

This reflected a sense of empathy and respect for the departed individuals under BuCor’s care, Catapang explained.

Catapang’s directive included the lighting of candles during Mass celebrations, emphasizing the 20 PDLs whose bodies were not claimed by their relatives and were recently buried by BuCor at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) Cemetery.

He said he tasked NBP Superintendent, Chief Inspector Roger Boncales, to light candles on each of the 20 PDLs’ graves.

Earlier, Catapang also instructed the facilitation of supervised video calls for PDLs at the NBP in Muntinlupa City on 1-2 November to allow them to virtually pay their respect to departed loves ones.

Meanwhile, Quezon City Police District acting director, P/Col. Melecio Buslig declared as “orderly and peaceful” the two-observance of the day of the dead.

Buslig reported a total of over 200,000 foot traffic in the three public and two private cemeteries since 1 November, with the biggest crowd observed at Bagbag Public Cemetery, where 7,264 people visited their loved ones at around 9 a.m. on All Saints’ Day.

By noon, the number was estimated to have reached 20,877, and by 6 p.m. the people had increased to 51,550.

The two private cemeteries (Himlayan Pilipino in Tandang Sora and Holy Cross Cemetery in San Bartolome in Novaliches), on the other hand, recorded a total of 103,744 visitors, most of whom converged from noon until early evening on 1 November.

Some chose to visit their loved ones on All Souls’ Day (2 November), totaling 21,228 by 9 a.m., Buslig said.