After Metro Manila mayors decided to close cemeteries in their jurisdiction during the All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day on November 1 and 2 to prevent the mass gathering of people, the Department of Health (DOH) is considering expanding the initiative to the whole country.
“What our Metro Manila mayors did is good practice,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in Filipino during a virtual briefing on Monday.
“So pag dumating yung panahon na yan maaaring makapagrecommend din tayo so it can be recommended across the country.”
“Alam natin pag Undas talagang yung mga tao siksikan sa sementaryo. And that is mass gathering already and we would like to prevent that,” she added.
Vergeire lauded the early notice of the mayors to give residents ample time to visit the graves of their loved ones before the proposed cemetery lockdown.
The City of Manila was the first to order the closure of its public and private cemeteries, columbariums and memorial parks from October 31 to November 1.
Following the initiative, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said that other Metro Manila mayors have also agreed to close their respective cemeteries from October 29 to November 4. RJ Espartinez
READ: Metro Manila mayors ok closure of all NCR cemeteries during Undas