The Philippine National Police (PNP) has deployed more than 27,000 policemen across the country to secure cemeteries and other places of convergence for this year’s observance of All Saints’ and All Souls Days.

PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said part of the deployment are those who would man the Police Assistance Desks in areas leading to and from the cemeteries, memorial parks, columbaries and other areas where millions of Filipinos are expected to go to remember their departed loved ones.

A total of 4,866 police assistance desks were set up across the country.

Since the PNP is also focused on the barangay elections, Fajardo said they tapped the assistance of force multipliers to fill up the gaps in covering the security for the All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days, locally referred to as Undas. 

“The deployment and setting up of police assistance desks started on the weekend. Since the PNP is focused on election day, we express our gratitude to the 22,000 force multipliers that assisted us,” said Fajardo.

Over 180,000 policemen were deployed to perform election duties.

For the more than 27,000 additional policemen deployed for Undas, Fajardo said they were also tasked to secure major thoroughfares and transportation hubs.

"We are also securing the tourist spots because we expect that some of our kababayan would go there to take advantage of the long weekend,” said Fajardo.

Currently, Fajardo said the PNP remains under full alert status.

But she said regional commanders were given discretion to assess the security situation in their respective areas for possible downgrading of alert status.