The Philippine Army (PA) paid tribute to the nation’s heroes, soldiers, national artists and scientists, and former presidents during a wreath-laying and synchronized candle lighting ceremony at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB) as part of this year’s All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day or “Undas”.

The ceremony honored the 54,264 remains interred at the cemetery, drawing an estimated 90,000 guests wishing to pay their respects for Undas.

The annual commemoration saw the cemetery’s grounds lit by thousands of candles and decorated with flaglets, “symbolizing the unwavering spirit of the heroes who laid their lives for the country,” the PA said on Sunday, Nov. 2.

In his keynote remarks, Major General Florante P. Sison, acting commander of PA Support Command (SPTCOM), underscored that the light of the ceremony must carry beyond the observance.

“May their light remind us that darkness will never prevail where courage, faith, and unity burn bright. The light we hold today must not fade after this ceremony. We must carry it in our hearts, in our actions, in our service, and in the way we treat one another as Filipinos,” he said.

To ensure the safety and orderly flow of the massive crowd, the PA’s Grave Services Unit (GSU) spearheaded the deployment of 320 uniformed personnel at the LNMB to assist cemetery-goers.

The force included personnel from the PA, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), the Philippine Air Force (PAF), the Philippine Navy (PN) and Philippine Marine Corps (PMC), Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and the Taguig City Traffic Management Office.