CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Amid the sweltering crowds at cemeteries in Pampanga and Bataan, the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) chaplain carried out a sacred double duty this Undas: blessing both the officers and the hallowed grounds they guarded.

On 31 October, Reverend Father Police Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Chy, PRO3’s regional chaplain, visited key burial sites in Mexico, Bacolor, Lubao, and San Fernando in Pampanga and Hermosa and Balanga City in Bataan to pray over police teams managing traffic, crime, and emotional crowds. With holy water and words of hope, he anointed checkpoints and fatigued personnel, calling their vigilance “a service to the living and the departed.”

“This blessing isn’t just ritual—it’s armor for the soul,” said Police Brigadier General Ponce Rogelio I. Peñones Jr., PRO3 director, underscoring his 3Ps leadership doctrine: Protect the People, Pursue Peace, Promote Professionalism. “When we nurture the spirit of our officers, they protect communities with not just strength, but heart.”

Now in its third year, the tradition has become a lifeline for officers like a veteran sergeant at San Fernando Cemetery. “Masakit man na malayo ako sa pamilya ko ngayong Undas, pero dahil alam kong banal ang tungkulin na ito, nakakagaan ng loob,” he said.

(“It hurts to be away from my family this Undas, but knowing this duty is sacred makes me feel lighter.”)

As Kapampangans observed the blessings, many echoed the sentiment. “Kapag atin kang ikit a pulis a manalangin keni Bacolor, medyu kampante ka, uling makilala mu ing karelang sinseridad keng pagsilbi da keng balen,” said Aling Maria, a vendor near the cemetery gates.

(“When you see police praying here in Bacolor, you feel somewhat at ease, because you recognize their sincerity in serving the community.")

For PRO3, the lesson is timeless: faith, like duty, is best served in service to others.