CEBU CITY—Starting Thursday, private and public cemeteries here will be closed to public.
Policemen will be deployed 24 hours a day in big cemeteries, while regular patrolling will be conducted in small cemeteries.
Through an executive order, City Mayor Edgardo Labella has ordered the closure of private and public cemeteries from October 29 to November 4 to prevent mass gathering in cemeteries during the observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.
The closure was meant to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
The city has 24 public and private cemeteries.
During the closure, masses will be allowed in cemeteries, but there will be no attendees.
Lesser people were seen visiting cemeteries on the last day before the temporary closure was to be enforced.
“There were less people today (Wednesday) maybe because the public was advised to visit their departed loved ones days before the closure will be enforced,” said P/Lt. Col. Wilbert Parilla, deputy city director for operations of the Cebu City Police Office.
Those who visited cemeteries were not allowed to linger for long unlike before when families held picnics near their loved one’s grave.
“After they lit candles, they were already asked to leave to prevent overcrowding because only 30 percent of the capacity was allowed,” said Parilla.