CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY —- The local government of Cagayan de Oro will still enforce limited visiting hours in all public and private cemeteries here during the observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day on the first and second days of November this year.
This is to ensure the peoples’ safety and a peaceful ‘Undas’ despite the city being placed under alert level 1 status and eased of some restrictions against Covid-19.
The limited visiting hours from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. is one of the guidelines contained in the Executive Order (EO) No. 099 issued by Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Rolando Uy on Oct. 19 pertaining to the observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.
Lt. Col. Evan Viñas, Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (COCPO) spokesperson, in a phone interview on Friday, Oct. 21, said police officers will conduct an inspection to their respective areas after 10 p.m. to strictly follow the visiting hours.
“We will intensify our information dissemination so that the people will be informed and we hope that they will follow the guidelines in order to avoid sanctions,” Viñas added.
In addition to the EO, all public and private cemeteries shall ensure the observance of minimum public health standards including the use of face masks, physical distancing and installation of hand washing areas.
Alcohol beverages are still strictly prohibited and the public has been advised not to bring backpacks, knives, spear, bolo and the like, bladed weapons and musical instruments -- things that will be strictly monitored by the authorities.
The said guidelines shall be effective for the period starting October 29 until November 2.
Apart from the police personnel of COCPO, the Police Region Office 10 (PRO-10) also augmented 50 personnel from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) 10 to help the city police in providing security during Undas.
Viñas said they will conduct an orientation among the police personnel who will be deployed to 12 different public and private cemeteries here as to their security plan on October 28.
The deployment of police personnel will start on October 29 as many people would start visiting their departed families, relatives and friends as early as before November 1 to avoid too much crowd on two actual days.
Apart from cemeteries, there will also be police personnel who will be deployed to the terminals, ports, malls and churches here.
“Every now and then our CMFC (City Mobile Force Company) will conduct spot inspection, together with our EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit) and K9 Unit to ensure the safety of our people,” he added.
Viñas called on the public to follow the dos and don’ts to avoid falling victim in any criminal activity and the strict adherence to the minimum public health standards against the ongoing threat of the virus.