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Undas generally peaceful; 3 million visited cemeteries: police

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Visitors flock to the Manila North Cemetery in Manila on All Saints Day, November 1, 2023. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/11/02/20231101-undas-manila-north-md.jpg"/><figcaption>Visitors flock to the Manila North Cemetery in Manila on All Saints Day, November 1, 2023. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA (UPDATE) — Some 3 million people thronged cemeteries across the Catholic-majority Philippines in a generally peaceful observance of All Saints&#x27; Day, police said on Thursday. &quot;Kahapon po ay umabot ng halos 3 million ang na-monitor po nating pumasok at lumabas ng mga sementeryo natin nationwide at ngayong araw, nagtutuloy-tuloy pa rin po yung ating security coverage dahil inaasahan po natin na may mga kababayan po tayong pupunta pa rin po,&quot; Philippine National Police (PNP)spokesperson PCol. Jean Fajardo said. &quot;Overall po ay naging maaayos at overall po ang observance ng Undas at wala po tayong naitalang any major incidence,&quot; she told TeleRadyo Serbisyo. The annual ritual of visiting cemeteries is an ancient Christian tradition honoring all saints and martyrs who died for the faith.In the deeply religious Philippines, the day is a public holiday to enable people to travel hours to visit gravesites in far-flung parts of the country.<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2861733" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>The PNP will remain on full alert on Thursday, All Souls&#x27; Day. Police assistance desks and roving personnel are still deployed in cemeteries, Fajardo said. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/02/23/lpa-dissipates-shear-line-to-bring-rain-on-all-souls">LPA dissipates; shear line, amihan to bring rain on All Souls&#x27; Day</a></li></ul>Police regional directors on Friday will decide whether or not to downgrade the alert status in their areas, she added. Authorities are on standby for the expected return to Metro Manila of vacationers who spent the Undas and barangay election break in the provinces, Fajardo noted. <div>SITUATION AT CEMETERIES</div>At the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City, majority of the visitors flitted about and only a few opted to stay at the graves of their departed family members. The Marikina City Police said that as of 10 a.m., 523 people were inside the park but visitors who came in starting at 6 a.m. totaled 3,419. The local government provided wheelchairs to elderly visitors. Meanwhile, visitors who stayed overnight at the Manila Memorial Park began packing up to go home on Thursday. Park management recorded 150,000 visitors at 8 p.m. on All Saints&#x27; Day. The number has dwindled to around 16,000 as of 10 a.m. Thursday. The Manila Memorial Park resumed its normal operating hours on Thursday, which meant it would close at 6 p.m. Overnight stay will not be allowed anymore.Interments would resume on Saturday, Nov. 4.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/multimedia/slideshow/11/02/23/mga-eksena-sa-undas-ano-ang-araw-ng-mga-patay-para-sa-pinoy">Mga eksena sa Undas: Ano ang Araw ng mga Patay para sa Pinoy?</a></li></ul>Fewer people, meanwhile, went to the Libingan ng mga Bayani or the Heroes&#x27; Cemetery in Taguig City. About 3,200 individuals were at the cemetery at 10 a.m. The Philippine Army&#x27;s grave services unit said there were fewer visitors this 2023, which they attributed to the recently-concluded barangay elections and the long weekend.But security remained tight at the Heroes&#x27; Cemetery. At the gate, prohibited items were confiscated, such as deadly weapons, flammable substances, and liquor.Because the Libingan ng mga Bayani is considered a military facility, camp rules were enforced.Recreational activities and noise-making are not allowed. Visitors are also banned from staying overnight.Around 53,000 people are interred at the over 100-hectare Libingan ng mga Bayani, including 5 former presidents, 5 former defense secretaries, 53 national artists, and 1,519 statesmen, dignitaries and other VIPs.At the Manila North Cemetery, some 60,000 individuals have so far visited the graves of their loved ones on All Souls&#x27; Day. Some said they opted to avoid the thick crowd that went here on Wednesday.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/01/23/reflect-on-purpose-this-undas-marcos-jr-tells-filipinos">Reflect on purpose, Marcos Jr tells Filipinos on Undas</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/01/23/4-family-members-killed-in-laguna-road-crash">4 family members killed in Laguna road crash on All Saints&#x27; Day</a></li></ul><div>— With reports from Bianca Dava, Jervis Manahan, Jeffrey Hernaez, and Adrian Ayalin, ABS-CBN News; Agence France-Presse </div>

Some 3 million people thronged cemeteries across the Catholic-majority Philippines in a generally peaceful observance of All Saints' Day, police said.