A man visits and cleans the tomb of a departed loved one at the Manila South Cemetery in Makati City on Sunday, ahead of the observance of All Souls Day on Nov. 2, 2021. Stringer
MANILA — All cemeteries will be closed from Oct. 29 to Nov. 2 in a bid to curb the risk of COVID-19 transmission during All Saints' Day, the Department of the Interior and Local Government said.
The inter-agency task force on COVID-19 has released guidelines to close all cemeteries, memorial parks, and columbaria from Oct. 29 to Nov. 2, said Interior Secretary Eduardo Año.
"Ang ating mga kababayan ay maaaring bumisita sa mga nasabing lugar anumang araw maliban sa nasabing panahon," he told President Rodrigo Duterte in a taped meeting that aired in the wee hours of Wednesday.
(Our compatriots can visit the said places any day except for these dates.)
These venues should limit accepting visitors at 30 percent of their capacity, added Año.
He said local governments should pass ordinances or executive orders to ensure public safety during All Saints' Day or Undas.
Millions of Filipino Catholics typically offer prayers and flowers for their departed loved ones in cemeteries during the All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day holidays.
Last year, cemeteries in Metro Manila were also closed during Undas as a precaution against COVID-19.
The Philippines has tallied some 2.7 million overall coronavirus infections, among the highest in Asia.