CALOOCAN CITY, Sept. 11 (PIA) -- The Metro Manila Council will meet this coming Sunday to come up with "standard policies" for a regionwide temporary shutdown of cemeteries during the observance of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day due to the coronavirus threat, an official said on Wednesday.
According to Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) General Manager Jojo Garcia, in an interview over TeleRadyo, he will meet with the local executives on Sunday to set standard policies, as "majority" of Metro Manila mayors have agreed with the idea of temporarily closing cemeteries in their areas.
"Base sa group chat namin, majority talaga. It will be unanimous, I think ano. 17-0 'yan, if ever," Garcia said, adding that the country's Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases is set to release their own set of guidelines for the nationwide observance.
Garcia shared his earlier conversations with the 17 mayors, and said majority, if not all, are willing to temporarily close cemeteries in their areas of responsibility on Undas.
Undas in the Philippines is celebrated on the first and second days of November. In the Philippines, this holiday celebrates saints who were not awarded their own feast days, and the occasion also marks a celebration of the lives of the deceased.
To recall, during pre-COVID times, on November 1st each year, people flock to their family plots in cemeteries across the country. They also use this national holiday to hold a family reunion where groups of an extended family gather together.
Earlier, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno earlier said the city will close cemeteries in the city from Oct. 31 to Nov. 3 to prevent the COVID-19 transmission.
On the other hand, Mandaluyong City Mayor Menchie Abalos and Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian are ordering a longer closure, from Oct. 30 to Nov. 3.
For Pateros Mayor Miguel Ponce III, he said it will be from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2.
Marikina City Mayor Marcy Teodoro, meanwhile, said with ongoing consultations, they would probably implement regulating the flow of people instead of closuring the cemeteries temporarily. (PIA NCR)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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