MANILA – The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) will discuss a proposal to close all public and private cemeteries in the country during this year’s All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day on Nov. 1 and 2 respectively.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque will personally bring up the topic on the next task force meeting as he acknowledged the importance of providing alternative days for the public to honor their departed loved ones.
“Titingnan po natin kung merong mga alternatibo dahil naniniwala naman po ako na importante sa mga Pilipino ang Undas. Tayo lang po ang may ganyan sa buong daigdig,” Roque said in a virtual press conference.
“Ang aking rekomendasyon gawin na lang natin na hindi [mismo sa] All Saints’ Day kundi mag-allot siguro ng apat hanggang limang araw depende doon sa family name ng namatay kung sino ang puwede pumunta sa mga sementeryo nang hindi po lahat magdagsaan sa isang araw lamang,” he added.
The Palace spokesperson, however, said he will leave it up to the IATF-EID to decide.
Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno earlier ordered the closure of cemeteries from Oct. 31 to Nov. 3 as the country is still in the middle of a pandemic.
After Moreno, more local governments followed suit with others still studying whether to adopt the same measure./PN
