A visitor make last-minute cleaning and repainting efforts on the grave of a loved one two days ahead of All Souls' Day at the Manila North Cemetery on October 31, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Even on the eve of All Saints Day, many have started to visit the graves of their loved ones at the Manila North Cemetery. 

Emily Camino went straight to the grave of her husband and parents upon landing in Manila from the United States. 

More than Christmas or birthdays, Camino said she prefers Halloween and All Saints' Day  — known locally as "Undas"  — as her time of reconnecting with family back home.

“Mas gusto namin ang Undas kasi gathering din ng mga magkakamaganak and at the same time nadadalaw rin 'yung mga wala na. Kasi 'pag Pasko yung mga [buhay] lang ang masasaya. Ngayon masaya rin sila dahil kasama namin,” she said.

(I prefer going home at this time because it is our time to gather as a family including those who have already left us. During Christmas, it’s only the living who are happy unlike at this time when we get to be with the departed as well.)

As the practice may inevitably become affected by the changing times, Camino is hopeful their tradition of spending time with their dead remains alive to be passed on to the next generation.

Manila North cemetery implements changes 

The Manila North Cemetery is one of the biggest and most frequented final resting places in throughout the country. This year, it expects to receive 1.5 million Filipinos within Metro Manila and nearby regions.

LIST: Road closures around Manila North Cemetery from Oct. 30 to Nov. 3

Unlike previous years, it has implemented several changes to make visitor experience easier and worthwhile. Among them, a no-vendor-policy which ensures cleaner and wider streets for visitor. 

It has also offered free rides from the entrance to any point in the cemetery.

Mga maagang dumadalaw sa namayapa walang tigil ang pagdating sa Manila North Cemetery

 Except for the usual prohibited items like weapons, intoxicating drinks, loud speakers and gambling paraphernalia, visitors are welcome to bring their own food and beverage. However, unlike previous practices of spending the entire night at the cemetery, its gates now close by 7 p.m. 

“Makakapag-stay pa po ang mga tao rito hanggang 9 ng gabi. Tapos ia-advise na sila ng mga kapulisan na lisanin na ang sementeryo para naman po makapaglinis kami ng sementeryo para sa mga dadalaw kinabukasan. Hindi natin pinpayagan ang pagoovernight ngayon kasi, para ma-maintain natin na malinis ang sementeryo,” said Manila North Cemetery Director Roselle Castaneda. 

(They can stay until 9 pm after which PNP personnel will ask them to leave the premises to give way to cleaning for those visiting the following day.) 

PNP on heightened alert 

The Philippine National Police is on heightened alert as more visitors flock cemeteries to remember departed loved ones, ahead of All Saints Day. 

Close to 12,000 personnel are deployed in different cemeteries across the National Capital Region to ensure peace and order, said PMGen Sidney Hernia, director of the National Capital Region Police Office.

 No specific threats have been monitored, said Hernia, who made the rounds of cemeteries and public terminals on Halloween, including Manila North. 

“Yung threat is general. Sabi ko nga pag may mga ganitong okasyon, lagi po nating iisipin na may iba diyan na may masasamang intensyon. Kaya nagdedeploy tayo ng personnel para naman ma-prevent yung mga binabalak nilang gawin,” he said. 

(The threat is general. It’s times like these that we should always think that there will always be people with bad intentions. This is why we’ve deployed personnel to prevent what they intend to do.)

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