Manila North Cemetery stops free rides due to large number of visitors

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The management of Manila North Cemetery, the biggest cemetery in the country, decided to stop its free rides on Sunday amid the heavy influx of visitors on All Saints' Day.

Cemetery director Daniel Tan said the roads inside are no longer passable.

"Opo, hindi na po makagalaw," he told Super Radyo dzBB on Sunday morning.

(Yes, vehicles can no longer move.)

The cemetery, located in the City of Manila, is expecting more visitors to come later in the day, with around 30,000 recorded as 8:46 a.m.

The number later rose to 124,800 as of 9 a.m.

"Dumadami na po. Ngayong araw na ito, ang estimate naming ay nasa 30,000 na po ang dumadating. Tuloy-tuloy po ang pagdating ng tao," said Tan.

(The crowd is growing. For today, our estimate is that around 30,000 visitors have arrived. The flow of people arriving is continuous.)

Amid the large number of crowd, the cemetery noted that only a few visitors were apprehended for bringing prohibited items inside.

"Hindi na masyado. Last month pa sinabi na wag na magdala. Mukha naming nakikisama naman sila," said Tan.

(Not as much anymore. We already announced last month not to bring [prohibited items]. It looks like they are cooperating.)

However, the cemetery reminded visitors that pets are not allowed inside the premises.

"Hindi po talaga pinapapasok 'yun. Baka mamaya sa init ng panahon, maka-kalmot, makakagat," said Tan.

(Those are really not allowed inside. Due to the hot weather, [the pets] might end up scratching or biting someone.)

Manila South Cemetery

On the other hand, free rides will continue at the Manila South Cemetery, which is expecting up to a million of visitors.

"Mayroon tayong wheelchair assistance pagpasok, mayroon po tayong 30 pieces na e-trikes, still passable po," said director Rafael Mendez in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB.

(We have wheelchair assistance at the entrance, as well as 30 e-trike units; the paths are still passable.)

"Ang expectation natin ay nasa 600,000 hanggang one million," he added.

(Our expectation is between 600,000 and one million [visitors].)

Despite the large crowds, the Makati-based cemetery has yet to record any incidents of missing children in the premises.

"Wala po. Mayroon tayong wrist tagging na ipinapatupad para maiwasan ‘yung pagkawala nila po," said Mendez.

(None so far. We are implementing wrist tagging to prevent them from getting lost.) —RF, GMA News