Marilyn Cahatol

People make their early visit to their departed loved ones at the Manila South Cemetery on October 17, 2021. The local government of Manila announced that public and private cemeteries will be closed from October 29 to November 3, 2021, to avoid crowd build-up during the upcoming All Souls’ and All Saints’ Day. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

UNDAS 2022

Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA<strong> (UPDATE) </strong>– The number of visitors who flocked to the Manila South Cemetery this November 1 is fewer so far compared to the expected people who would visit the cemetery, an official said on Saturday.</p><p>As of 8 p.m., visitors in the Manila South Cemetery topped 147,000—fewer than the expected 600,000 to 1 million today, All Saints’ Day, said John Mark Mendez, the cemetery’s officer-in-charge.</p><p>“Medyo mababa nga ngayon. Ine-expect kasi namin na nasa 600,000 to 1 million. Medyo mababa gawa ng natatakot sila lumabas kasi may ano tayo ngayon, yung Influenza (like-illnesses),” said Mendez in an interview.</p><p>Despite this, though, he said wearing masks will remain optional.</p><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/31/manila-north-cemetery-sees-steady-flow-of-visitors-a-day-before-undas-0814"><strong>Manila North Cemetery sees steady flow of visitors a day before Undas</strong></a></div><div> </div><div><strong>‘LOST’ VISITOR</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe id="twitter-widget-3" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:550px;height:599px;display:block;flex-grow:1" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-3&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1984480956481487357&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2025-11-01T04%3A02%3A39.080065%3Ac36a3f99-56dd-4af6-88b3-8b56470f4fcc%26action%3Dedit&amp;sessionId=89915d853889ebb6ef1db0bbe820869f4ad92a25&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px" data-tweet-id="1984480956481487357"></iframe></div><div><br/></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><div><strong>‘LOST’ VISITORS</strong></div><p>Loida de Guzman, 67, was among those who wanted to pay their respects to their departed parents and sibling this Saturday morning, but she got lost inside the cemetery.</p><p>De Guzman, who was weak and was not feeling well, got assisted by a Manila South Cemetery staff. It took them at least 10 minutes roaming around the premises looking for her parents’ grave but to no avail.</p><p>“Sa iba niya ako dinaan, dito kaya, idiretso lang... Siyempre mahal ko sa buhay sila,” she said.</p><p>“Nahihilo ako, masakit ang ulo ko,” she added.</p><p>She said no one from her immediate family could assist her in going to the cemetery since she lives in a separate house. The cemetery staff directed her to their main office for their Puntod Finder.</p><p>Mendez said De Guzman was just among the few people who got lost looking for their loved ones inside the 25-hectare property.</p><p>He told them to go to www.manilasouthcemetery.com or head to their main office so staff could assist them. Currently, they can accurately pinpoint graves from 1968 to 2025.</p><p>“As of now yung mga hinahanap nilang puntod na hindi nila makita sa tulong ng puntod finder ay mas mabilis o mas mabilis nilang makikita ang kanilang mga pamilya,” he said.</p><p>&quot;Ang katulong natin ang Manila Health Department, staff ng Manila South, nasa 50 ang deployed natin na tumutulong dito sa sementeryo para mapabilis ang pagpapahanap ng mga puntod,” he added.</p><p>“Minsan hinahanapan natin sila ng picture ng lapida kung sakaling mayroon at ma-record namin para masama na namin sa record namin,” he said.</p><div><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/31/thousands-flock-to-manila-south-cemetery-ahead-of-undas-1610"><strong>Thousands flock to Manila South Cemetery ahead of Undas</strong></a></div><div><br/><strong>FUR PARENTS NOT ALLOWED TO GO INSIDE</strong></div><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px;text-align:center"><iframe id="twitter-widget-4" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:550px;height:671px;display:block;flex-grow:1" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-4&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1984452636721160389&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2025-11-01T04%3A02%3A39.080065%3Ac36a3f99-56dd-4af6-88b3-8b56470f4fcc%26action%3Dedit&amp;sessionId=89915d853889ebb6ef1db0bbe820869f4ad92a25&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px" data-tweet-id="1984452636721160389"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><p>Some fur parents were still not allowed inside, with some of them having to linger outside the property with their dogs.</p><p>Among them was Benigno Rabasto, who brought two shih-tzus. </p><p>“Akala ko kasi pwede pumasok yung  may dalang aso. Dala-dala ko minsan eh kasi busy kami sa work. Eh hindi matutukan,” Rabasto said.</p><p>“Hindi naman hassle masyado, sakto lang,” he said. </p><p>Meanwhile, Mendez said their policy of not bringing pets has already been a standard practice in Manila cemeteries, emphasizing this is not new.</p><p>“Baka makakagat sila sa sementeryo, iniiwasan natin na makakagat at dahil rin yung mga alagang aso walang dalang pagkain dito, tubig,” he said. </p><p>The Manila South Cemetery is open to the public from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. until tomorrow, Sunday. Burial rites will resume on Nov. 3, Monday, to give way to the deluge of visitors during the Undas season.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/1/thousands-crowd-pitx-overnight-to-catch-provincial-trips-for-undas-exodus-0849">Thousands crowd PITX overnight to catch provincial trips for Undas exodus</a></strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/flRAafrgHg0?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TR9YBudUtJM?si=o0exxzXNHrhHDK6m" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>The number of visitors who flocked at the Manila South Cemetery this November 1 is fewer so far compared to the expected people who would visit the cemetery, an official said on Saturday.</p>

The number of visitors who flocked at the Manila South Cemetery this November 1 is fewer so far compared to the expected people who would visit the cemetery, an official said on Saturday.

Fewer people than expected at Manila South Cemetery on Nov. 1

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Fewer people than expected at Manila South Cemetery on Nov. 1

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 01, 2025 03:08 PM PHT

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Updated November 01, 2025 09:21 PM PHT

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All Saints Day

All Souls Day

Manila South Cemetery

Undas

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