BY MINKA KLAUDIA S. TIANGCO
All public and private memorial parks, cemeteries, and columbaries in the city of Manila will be temporarily closed from October 31 to November 3 following the signing of an executive order.
Manila Mayor Isko Moreno on Monday signed Executive Order No. 38, ordering the temporary closure of the said facilities subject to General Community Quarantine (GCQ) guidelines during the “Undas” period as country continues to battle the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
As of Tuesday afternoon, there are 880 active COVID-19 cases in Manila, data from the city government showed.
Only interment and cremation services for non-COVID-19 cases will be allowed provided that minimum public health standards and social distancing will still be observed, according to the executive order.
In a live broadcast on Tuesday, Moreno said Manila North Cemetery has 105,837 graves and is estimated to receive about 1.5 million visitors while Manila South Cemetery has 39,228 graves and is estimated to have 800,000 visitors on All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day on November 1 and 2.
The Manila mayor appealed for the public’s understanding after issuing the order, saying that he did this for the safety of the city’s residents.
“Patawarin niyo po ako kung sakaling masasaktan ko ang inyong damdamin na hindi makita ang inyong mga mahal sa buhay sa partikular na panahon na iyon,” he said.
“Kaya ko po ito ginagawa ngayon, para mabigyan kayo ng sapat na panahon ng humigit kumulang dalawang buwan na mabisita ang inyong mga mahal sa buhay na nahimilay sa mga pribado at pampublikong sementeryo,” he added.
But the local chief executive said that he would rescind his executive order should the national government change the prescribed public health protocols before then.
Moreno directed the Manila Police District, the local government’s cemeteries, the Manila Health Department, the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and the Department of Public Services to ensure the proper implementation of the order.
