By: Emme Rose Santiagudo
More than 100,000 Ilonggos are expected to flock three big cemeteries in Iloilo City in the observance of All Saints’ Day on November 1 and All Souls’ Day on November 2.
On Thursday, “Oplan Kalag-Kalag 2019” of the city government headed by the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer (CDRRMO) started rolling out its preparations to ensure the peaceful and orderly observance of Undas in the metro.
“We are focusing gid sa tatlo ka mga big cemeteries sa siyudad sa Brgy. Tanza-Timawa Zone II sa City Proper district, Brgy. Quintin Salas in Jaro district, and Brgy. Jereos in La Paz district,” CDRRMO head Donna Magno said in an interview on Thursday.
The biggest among the three cemeteries is the Tanza Cemetery which holds more than 12,000 tombs according to Edmund Roberto of City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO).
Around 5,000 tombs are situated in Jereos and more than 8,000 in Quintin Salas, Roberto added.
To oversee this three huge cemeteries and other public and private graveyards in the city, Magno said the Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) deployed 263 personnel in all the districts of Iloilo City to monitor the traffic management and crowd control.
Meanwhile, Anti-Smoking Task Force (ICAST) conducted roving operations all over public cemetery areas and has apprehended 11 violators of anti-smoking policy of the city government.
CENRO also deployed 45 personnel to monitor the public and private cemeteries including terminals for anti-littering activities and recorded four violators on Thursday.
The Bureau of Fire and Protection (BFP) in Iloilo City also designated 67 personnel were designated in their respective areas of responsibility and conducted rikorida or mobile public announcements to inform the residents of safety measures in preventing fire incidents.
They also checked terminals and public cemeteries including designated areas for the vendors selling flowers and candles.
To ensure safety, 501 personnel of Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) will man all cemeteries, terminals, malls, seaports and wharves to provide security, maintain peace and order and visibility to ensure peace and order.
A total of 60 Police Assistance Desks has been set-up in the metro for those who need further assistance while CDRRMO urged the public to refer their issues and concerns during the observance of the Undas through their Facebook page and hotline number 033-333-2333 or 09989034593 for Smart and 09559867404 for Globe users.
As of Thursday, Magno said no major incidents were recorded in all the cemeteries in the city.
“We are hoping that it will be smooth and orderly with all the preparations,” Magno said.
The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC), particularly the emergency operation center (OPCEN) has been raised on blue alert on Oct. 31 until Nov. 4 in preparation for the Undas.
The OPCEN in Iloilo City has also been raised on the blue alert status since Thursday.
