ILOILO City – Selling flowers and candles for All Saints’ Day (Nov. 1) and All Souls’ Day (Nov. 2) this year here will still be allowed despite the closure of cemeteries.
But vendors will be barred from occupying sidewalks and roads leading to cemeteries, according to Mayor Jerry Treñas.
There are designated areas where they can sell, the mayor explained.
Treñas earlier ordered the closure of all public and private cemeteries, memorial parks and columbarias from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2 to avoid the spread of coronavirus disease 2019.
People are expected to visit their departed loved ones in cemeteries early.
Under the resolution of the national government’s Inter-Agency Task Force, early visits to cemeteries are encouraged but at most, only 30 percent of the cemeteries’ total venue capacity is allowed at any given time.
There are an estimated 168 flower vendors in the City Proper; in the whole city, there are around 500, data from the city government’s Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) showed.
Mayor Treñas’ executive order will be carried out by the Iloilo City Business Processing and Licensing Office, PSTMO and the Iloilo City COVID-19 Team.
The city’s police force and barangays officials where cemeteries, memorial parks and columbarias are located will augment the personnel of the city government.
Last year, the only areas where flower and candle vendors were allowed to do business were public markets and public plazas.
Ilonggos traditionally mark All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day by going to cemeteries to pay respects to their dead family members, relatives and friends. They offer flowers and prayers, and light candles.
But this year, for the first time, visiting cemeteries is prohibited./PN
