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Calabarzon cops on full alert for Undas; 12,000 personnel deployed

The Police Regional Office-Calabarzon (PRO-4A) has deployed more than 12,000 (12,297) personnel across the region.

This action is for public safety during this year’s observance of ‘Undas’ (All Saints’ Day on Nov. 1 and All Souls’ Day on Nov. 2).

PRO-4A said police forces across Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon were placed on full alert starting Thursday, Oct. 29.

The deployment includes 5,561 police officers, 1,218 augmentation personnel from other units, and 5,518 force multipliers.

They will instill peace and order in cemeteries, memorial parks, columbaria, transport terminals, tourist destinations, major thoroughfares and other public convergence areas.

PRO-4A has activated 46 border control and security checkpoints, established 529 assistance desks, and deployed personnel to 143 motorist assistance centers.

Security operations will cover 598 cemeteries, 111 memorial parks, and 42 columbaria.

Brig. Gen. Dominic Baccay, PRO-4A regional director, said that police officers will be visible, vigilant and ready to respond to emergencies and security concerns throughout the Undas period.

‘We encourage everyone to cooperate with authorities, remain alert, and immediately report suspicious activities or emergencies to the nearest police assistance desk or through available emergency hotlines,’ Baccay said.

Undas, the traditional Filipino observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, draws families to cemeteries to clean graves, light candles, offer flowers, and pray for their departed loved ones.

Thomians breathe new life into Shakespeare classic

The English Drama Society of S. Thomas College Mount Lavinia is ready to tread the boards with William Shakespeare›s political drama ‘Julius Caesar’ from 5 to 7 November at the School Main Hall at 7 p.m.

The play which details the intrigue and tragic betrayal and death of the infamous Roman dictator who is assassinated by his senators, takes on a new narrative as the Drama Society contextualises the event in a ‘mythical and imagined’ Ceylon. Set in the political upheaval of the nation in the late ‹50s and early ‹60s, Director Dylan Perera, along with the cast is looking forward to presenting their take on the Bandaranaike assassination and the ‹62 coup.

The play is one of many celebrations for the school as it marks 175 years of excellence this year. The English Drama Society of the school also holds a comparable record. Being one of the oldest in existence in Sri Lanka, since 1872, it has been the springboard for many notable figures in the industry, including but not limited to Richard de Zoysa, Vinodh Senadeera, Jith Pieris and Christopher Ponniah. Over its 154 years in existence, it has seen a multitude of genres, ranging from musical theatre, comedies, greek plays and of course, the Bard himself.

The Society has been building momentum over the past few years.

S. Thomas College Mount Lavinia’s The English Drama Society Teacher-in-Charge Gihan de Chickera said: «In the last two years, we won the inter-school Shakespeare competition in 2024 and made it to the final four in 2025. Before that, in 2023, we did a full-length production of ‘Brothers Menaechmus’. Additionally there has been a growing interest in inter-house competitions, with students acting, writing and directing their own plays.’

‘So we felt we had the capacity to pull off a full-length Shakespeare production this year to coincide with the school’s 175th anniversary. And ‘Julius Caesar’ was a good choice because it can accommodate a large cast, and contains a powerful message,’ de Chickera added.

Tickets are priced at Rs. 2,000 (reserved seating) and Rs. 1,500 (free seating) and are available on

Sri Lanka commence Hong Kong Sixes with thrilling win

Bangladesh went through a most disheartening opening day of the Hong Kong International Sixes at Mong Kok yesterday when they lost both their Group B matches by one wicket to Scotland and Sri Lanka respectively.

Bangladesh made 94 against Scotland, but the Scots buoyed by a brilliant 53* off 20 balls (3 fours, 6 sixes) by their captain Finlay McCreath romped home to win by one wicket off the last ball. In their second match of the day, Bangladesh put up a better batting performance scoring 127-4 with Habibur Rahman scoring 57 off 15 balls (3 fours, 7 sixes), but still ended on the losing side as Sri Lanka topped that score to win by one wicket with four balls to spare.

Vishen Halambage was Sri Lanka’s match winner with a blistering 80* off 17 balls that comprised 11 sixes and 3 fours. Sri Lanka and Scotland meet today at 7.10 am to vie for the top spot in Group B.

In the other upsets of the day UAE beat Pakistan by one wicket, but Pakistan recovered in their second game to defeat arch rivals India by 4 wickets. South Africa suffered two back to back defeats at the hands of Oman and Afghanistan to finish bottom of Group D. England also went out of the Cup final when they were beaten by Hong Kong and Australia to finish at the bottom of Group A. The tournament continues on its second day today.

Boat operators rally support for Tinubu, Hamzat ahead of 2027

The Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATON) on Saturday declared support for President Bola Tinubu and the Lagos State APC governorship candidate, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, ahead of the 2027 elections.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the association threw its weight behind Tinubu and Hamzat during a sensitisation campaign at Ijegun Egba Jetty Terminal in Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos.

Speaking, the National President of ATBOWATON, Alhaji Ganiyu Balogun, popularly known as Tarzan, said the support was in recognition of the President’s years of investment in water transportation and the efforts of successive governments in Lagos State.

Balogun said many jetties were built during Tinubu’s tenure as governor of the state, adding that his successors had continued to construct more facilities to expand water transportation and improve security infrastructure.

According to him, members of the association across its 35 zones were ready to vote for the re-election of Tinubu and the election of Hamzat as the next governor of the state.

Balogun said: ‘Our boats operate from Lagos to Benin Republic and from Lagos to Ondo. We are here today to express support for the government that has invested heavily in water transportation and made our operations seamless.

‘We are here to declare our support for the President and show that we appreciate what he has done for us.

‘Many thousands of life jackets have been given to us by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the National Inland Waterways Authority and the Lagos State Waterways Authority.

‘We are in support of President Bola Tinubu and Hamzat in 2027. We appreciate what the present government has done for boat operators and other stakeholders in the water transportation sector.

‘This government is making life more comfortable for us to operate on the waterways through improved safety measures and the provision of infrastructure, which was not adequately available before.’

According to him, the government had encouraged people like him by recognising their contributions to water transportation and investing in the sector.

‘Therefore, we have decided to come together and demonstrate our support for the APC,’ he said.

Balogun said the association would move to Rivers, Cross River and other states to similarly endorse state governments that had supported the marine and blue economy sector in Nigeria.

‘Before now, we regularly heard about accidents on the waterways, with lives being lost and people dying. However, nowadays, you hardly hear about such accidents.

‘This is because of government intervention and the seriousness demonstrated by the President and the governors responsible for the sector.

‘We are now comfortable operating on the waterways because we have established a system of identifying boats and their operators.

‘We have no choice but to support them so that they can continue what they have started,’ he added.

Calling on boat operators to prioritise safety, Balogun said a single accident could discourage many people from embracing water transportation.

‘We cannot afford to lose a single passenger through carelessness.

‘We want passengers to be comfortable. The more comfortable they are, the more they will embrace water transport and patronise us.

‘The more they are afraid, the more they stay away. Let us take security and safety very seriously.’

He called on operators to support Tinubu and Hamzat to ensure continuity in the development recorded in the waterways sector.

Corroborating his position, Alhaji Kola Adesiyan, the National Deputy President of ATBOWATON, urged members of the association to vote overwhelmingly for Tinubu, Hamzat and other APC candidates in the state.

‘The nation, Nigeria, has crossed the Red Sea and is now moving to the Promised Land. Tinubu is our candidate for 2027. Hamzat is our governor in 2027,’ Adesiyan said.

In his address, Mr Segun Babatunde, the Deputy Chairman of the association in Lagos State, highlighted several achievements of the outgoing state government in the water transportation sector, urging the incoming administration to sustain and expand the gains.

Babatunde commended the government for providing additional jetties, supporting the establishment of more fuel stations around waterways and collaborating with the Federal Government to clear dangerous debris that posed risks to navigation and damaged boats and engines.

‘There was a time when we had very few jetties and boat operators faced serious difficulties in accessing suitable places to operate.

‘The government listened to our concerns and provided more jetties, making our work easier.

‘We also had a time when boat operators had to travel far to the mainland to buy fuel because there were not enough fuel stations close to our waterways.

‘We raised this concern, and the government responded by supporting the provision of more fuel stations around our waterways. Today, getting fuel is easier for many of our operators.

‘We also faced serious problems with debris in our waterways. These dangerous objects caused boat accidents and damaged our boats and engines.

‘After we raised our concerns, the state and federal governments worked together to remove debris from our waterways. This has helped clear large sections of our waterways and made operations safer,’ he said.

He said the association supported Tinubu’s re-election bid and Hamzat’s governorship ambition in the belief that continuity in leadership would sustain development and consolidate existing achievements in Lagos State.

‘Although we appreciate the jetties already provided, some remote areas still need more jetties.

‘We also need additional fuel stations closer to more waterways so that operators can serve passengers more easily and efficiently.

‘We believe that with the right leadership and continued cooperation, these improvements can be achieved.

‘Our expectation is that the progress made in water transportation will not stop here.

‘We want the incoming governor to continue these efforts and extend them to more communities across Lagos State,’ Babatunde said.

He urged the incoming administration to prioritise waterway safety, security, youth employment, financial assistance for boat operators and tourism development.

Babatunde noted that many operators struggled with damaged boats and faulty engines they could not afford to replace.

‘Some of our members have lost their boats or are struggling with faulty engines. These challenges have significantly affected their livelihoods and ability to work.

‘We appeal to the incoming government to subsidise the cost of boat engines and introduce flexible repayment plans to enable operators to rebuild their businesses, restore their income and return to optimal performance,’ he said.

Babatunde also called for sustained debris clearance, the distribution of life jackets, stronger security measures and skills development programmes for youths.

Speaking, the Special Adviser to Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Blue Economy, Mr Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, commended ATBOWATON’s leadership for its support and said Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to advancing water transportation remained evident.

Emmanuel, who was represented by Mr Oladapo Ibrahim, urged members of the association to embrace professionalism, prioritise safety and continue to collaborate with the government in developing water transportation.

In his goodwill message, Mr Rasaq Olojede, Chairman of Oriade Local Council Development Area, applauded the association for its overwhelming support for the ruling party, saying successive APC administrations had done much to advance water transportation since Tinubu’s tenure as governor.

‘We now have state-of-the-art jetties, terminals and vessels. We must also thank this association for complying with safety regulations,’ Olojede said.

He said residents of riverine areas were satisfied with the government’s investments in water transportation infrastructure, particularly the construction of jetties and terminals to ease road congestion and improve connectivity across Lagos.

Olojede said Lagos, being a coastal state with both upland and riverine communities, had benefited significantly from the development of water transportation facilities, adding that passenger traffic had increased tremendously as a result.

Speaking, Oba Gausu Alani-Rasaki (Obagbade Musa I), the Ovori of Ibeshe Kingdom and Sea Beach, said traditional rulers were not politicians but voters. He applauded Tinubu for initiating reforms that had transformed water transportation in Lagos.

NAN reports that the carnival-like event brought together scores of ATBOWATON members and other stakeholders, including traditional rulers.

US Court denies discovery request against Tinubu

The United States District Court for the District of Columbia has denied a motion by Aaron Greenspan seeking limited discovery from Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and DCI Group in an ongoing lawsuit under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

The court’s ruling followed a suit filed by Greenspan at the US District Court seeking to obtain records from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) relating to investigations involving Tinubu and Nigerian businessman Abubakar Agbele in the 1990s.

In a request filed on October 8, Greenspan asked the court to consider additional records in support of his separate application for permission to seek limited discovery from Tinubu.

In his application, Greenspan argued that the records provided a basis for investigating possible attacks against him and his website.

However, in its ruling, shared by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, on his X handle, the court declared that the proposed discovery concerning alleged cyberattacks on Greenspan’s website was not sufficiently relevant to the underlying FOIA dispute involving the FBI and DEA.

Christopher W. Carmichael, President Tinubu’s lawyer in the suit filed by Greenspan, said:

‘The Court’s decision makes clear that this Freedom of Information Act proceeding cannot be used to pursue discovery unrelated to the legal questions before it.

‘By denying the request for discovery against President Tinubu and DCI Group, the Court reinforced the importance of keeping this litigation focused on the issues properly before it.’

The court also denied a separate motion by non-party Karl Von Batten seeking permission to file an amicus curiae (friend-of-the-court) brief, as well as Greenspan’s related request for judicial notice.

Additionally, the court denied Greenspan’s motion for summary judgment.

Providing further details of the ruling, another of Tinubu’s lawyers, Oluwole Afolabi, disclosed that ‘the Court also denied the plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment and rejected a separate request to introduce an amicus brief.’

‘While the underlying FOIA issues remain before the Court, these rulings establish important procedural boundaries and clarify which matters are appropriate for consideration in this litigation.’

2027: We’ll continue to convince Nigerians to re-elect Tinubu – Senator Yari

Former Zamfara State Governor and Director-General of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC-PCC), Senator Abdulaziz Yari, has said Nigerians would be convinced to give President Bola Ahmed Tinubu a fresh mandate in next January’s presidential election.

Senator Yari reaffirmed the commitment of the APC-PCC to securing the buy-in of the Nigerian electorate for Tinubu’s second-term aspiration while speaking with journalists in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, where he had joined President Tinubu, alongside other eminent Nigerians, to perform the Muslim lesser Hajj, Umrah.

Checks revealed that President Tinubu, during a media chat in Saudi Arabia on Friday, said he had enormous faith in God to be re-elected as president.

‘I believe that Allah’s wish in His court must prevail. And there’s no other God but Allah.

‘Allah is the only one who can define a human being, what he will be, and what he will become,’ Tinubu had declared.

Speaking with journalists at the weekend, the APC-PCC DG noted that President Tinubu’s faith in God, his record of performance and the capacity of the campaign organisations to win the hearts of the electorate would swing votes in Tinubu’s favour and ultimately secure his victory.

He said: ‘That’s what makes a leader, because when you ask him, he first prayed for the country, prayed for every Nigerian, and also said this election is an election in which God has selected the person who will be a leader, and only He can make someone a leader or otherwise.

‘So, in total, I depend on Allah to do it for him as He did it for him in 2023. By that, Allah says we should welcome and work, and that all the procedures we are undertaking to campaign, talk to people, convince them, and show them what we have done and achieved will, by God’s grace, convince people to elect us.’

Love: The heartbeat of true religion and a good society

Some people think that the true and acceptable religion before God is one loaded with incessant prayers, numerous laws, rituals and other religious practices. Others imagine religion as something easy, without formalities or traditions. Its adherents seek joy, comfort and quick solutions to their problems. Some pastors even invent teachings that appeal to large numbers of followers but do not necessarily reflect the truth.

In Jesus’ time, Judaism comprised 613 laws derived from the first five books of the Bible (the Torah). It is said that even religious leaders struggled to bear the burden of observing all these laws. On one occasion, an interpreter of the Torah, believing Jesus to be a wise teacher, asked Him which of the laws was the greatest.

Jesus wisely replied that loving God and loving our neighbour were the greatest commandments and the spirit behind the entire Law (Matthew 22:34-40).

Indeed, LOVE is the spirit in which God gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments after delivering them from slavery in Egypt. He intended these commandments to help them remain faithful to Him and avoid becoming enslaved again, this time by sin.

The Catholic Church is also perceived by many as being burdened with numerous laws and teachings, sacraments, Masses, devotions to Mary and the saints, novenas and other religious practices. Fundamentally, however, the Church is commissioned to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples and preserve biblical truth through its core beliefs and practices (Matthew 28:19-20).

When we understand the law of love, we easily realise that these practices are not necessarily the essence of Christianity, although they are helpful in expressing our love for God and one another.

This is what prompted St Augustine to declare: ‘Love first and do what you will.’ He meant that when we walk in love, everything good and right becomes possible. True love bears good fruit. It is through this same love that we understand what religion demands of us and willingly fulfil it.

In other words, God seeks a relationship that comes from our hearts, not merely one founded on outward observance of laws. Societal laws, too, must be based on the great law of love; otherwise, they become oppressive rather than liberating.

The crux of the matter is that Christianity helps us reciprocate the very love of God, who created us. Because Jesus redeemed us out of love, we acknowledge Him as our Lord. We become true Christians by loving as He did, through both our words and deeds.

The best way to put this love into practice is by caring for those in need (Exodus 22:20-26).

Ultimately, true love is not something we earn; it is a gift of God’s grace. Therefore, let us continually ask God to fill us with His love in all its fullness and strive to put it into practice.

NSIA offers startups $1.5m growth capital

The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) has opened a pathway for Nigerian startups to access up to $1.5 million in growth capital as part of efforts to help innovative businesses expand their operations attract investment and create jobs.

The funding opportunity to be accessed through the Pula Xcelerator forms part of the expanded support package under the fourth edition of the NSIA Prize for Innovation (NPI 4.0) which has awarded a combined $275000 in prizes to outstanding Nigerian startups.

At the centre of the competition Come Again Foods a Nigerian company that produces packaged snacks from locally sourced agricultural products emerged as the overall winner securing a combined prize worth $100000.

Protein Kapital which produces protein and biofertilisers by using insects to process organic waste came second with a prize package worth $70000 while Instant Rad Inc. an artificial intelligence-powered platform that connects hospitals and diagnostic centres with radiologists across Africa placed third with $50000.

The NSIA said the additional growth capital opportunity alongside business development training and access to investors is intended to help promising businesses move beyond winning competitions to building stronger companies capable of expanding across Nigeria and other markets.

Under the programme eligible winners will also participate in a fully funded entrepreneurial development programme at the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) Lagos.

The training will cover business planning leadership corporate governance financial management market expansion and preparation for attracting investors.

The fourth edition of the competition themed Building for Impact attracted about 6000 applications from which 12 startups were selected to present their businesses before a panel of experts drawn from Nigeria’s business investment and innovation sectors.

The competition concentrated on manufacturing climate and food security and healthcare reflecting the NSIA’s interest in supporting businesses that can address major challenges while contributing to economic growth.

The combined $275000 prize money comprised $220000 provided by the NSIA $45000 from Cascador and $10000 from Wema Bank.

Beyond the three leading companies Eight Medical and Uwana Energy received $15000 each in Cascador cash prizes.

Sambal Enterprises Come Again Foods and Ebees Green also received $5000 each under Cascador’s impact awards while Eight Medical Smartel AgriTech and Ryctor secured $4000 each from Wema Bank.

Speaking at the Demo Day the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NSIA Aminu Umar-Sadiq said the quality of the businesses presented showed that Nigeria had a growing pool of entrepreneurs capable of developing practical solutions to economic and social problems.

He said the authority was interested in helping innovators build businesses that could survive attract investment and expand beyond their initial markets.

‘Through the NSIA Prize for Innovation we are not only recognising promising ideas; we are creating pathways for entrepreneurs to access the capital capabilities networks and partnerships needed to build sustainable scalable businesses’ Umar-Sadiq said.

He said the expanded opportunities under the latest edition were designed to give participating businesses more than financial rewards by providing the resources and professional support required to grow.

‘The evolution of NPI 4.0 and the expanded opportunities created through our partners reinforce our commitment to supporting Nigerian innovators developing practical solutions to critical challenges’ he said.

Umar-Sadiq congratulated the winners and finalists expressing the expectation that their businesses would grow employ more Nigerians and deliver economic and social benefits.

The latest edition builds on the NSIA’s efforts to use innovation funding and business development support to encourage entrepreneurship across the country.

According to the authority the first three editions of the programme attracted more than 20000 applications from startups across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

The participating businesses operated in different sectors including financial technology agriculture healthcare education transportation and logistics.

Through the programme the NSIA provides funding technical assistance mentorship business training and connections with strategic partners to help entrepreneurs improve their business models and prepare for investment.

The fourth edition introduced a more focused approach by concentrating on manufacturing climate and food security and healthcare sectors considered important to strengthening Nigeria’s productive capacity improving livelihoods and creating employment opportunities.

The authority said the programme was designed to take participating businesses through several stages rather than simply reward winners at a pitching event.

These include application and screening an accelerator programme a preliminary pitching exercise the final Demo Day and post-competition support.

During the accelerator stage selected businesses receive intensive training and guidance to improve their products business plans and ability to attract investors.

The shortlisted companies subsequently present their solutions at the Mini Demo Day before the final contestants pitch to an expert panel.

After the competition winners and eligible finalists can proceed to further training mentorship investor engagement and funding opportunities through the NSIA and its partners.

The authority said the approach was intended to help Nigerian entrepreneurs turn promising ideas into established businesses capable of operating profitably expanding their reach and contributing to the country’s long-term economic development.

Zamfara is evidence of transformational leadership under Gov. Lawal says EFCC chairman

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Mr Olanipekun Olukoyede affirmed transformational leadership in Zamfara State under Governor Dauda Lawal.

The EFCC Chairman delivered the keynote address at Zamfara State’s 30th anniversary held at the Grand Chamber of the Government House in Gusau.

Other notable speakers at the anniversary lecture were Professor Tijjani Muhammad Bande Professor Sulaiman Kura Professor Murtala Rufai Professor Taofik Aminu among others.

Mr Olukoyede stated that he conducted due diligence on Zamfara State and its governor before accepting the invitation to serve as a keynote speaker.

He said ‘By virtue of the ethical demands of my office I don’t attend political events; I don’t go to the government house as a matter of principle. But when I received this invitation something told me to accept and see what was going on there.

‘I did a little due diligence on His Excellency and the state. I saw when the state was created and noticed the drastic change over the past 3 years. And I made up my mind. I went to meet my boss Mr President and he said go. I told him what I have seen about Zamfara and the need to support the work His Excellency Dauda Lawal is doing in this state.

‘I am deeply honoured to be with you this morning. My acceptance to be with you today stems from two distinct realities: first my professional engagements rarely bring me to this vibrant part of the nation because my office is based in Abuja. This is my first time in Zamfara State.

‘As I arrived in Gusau the first thing I noticed was the new airport. It is noticeable even to first-time visitors. The capital city speaks of visible transformation as we have seen. Newly paved roads align with street solar lights.

‘Zamfara unfortunately ranked near the bottom not for lack of natural allure but because the perception of rigid social tendencies overshadowed its immense natural potential.

‘Even after becoming a state capital in 1996 transformation was gradual. For years despite the efforts of previous governors Zamfara remained among the country’s less-developed states

‘However today the contemporary outlook is shifting; indeed the physical evolution of Gusau serves as a powerful metaphor for the broader Zamfara State.

‘I am incredibly encouraged to learn that Zamfara has steadily improved its performance in critical national examinations like NECO and WAEC. Public infrastructure is expanding positively impacting people’s daily lives. These strides are rightfully attributed to the consolidation of the deliberate reform initiatives and align perfectly with the theme of today’s celebration titled ‘accountability and responsibility in transformational government’.

‘Despite the ethical standards of the office I occupied it will take a serious-minded committed democrat a transparent governor to have the temerity and audacity to bring the Chairman of the EFCC to address the people of the state.’

In his remarks Governor Lawal emphasised that the anniversary theme ‘Reflections Achievements and the Future’ is meant to examine the challenges that have shaped the state’s experience and to consider what leaders must do to secure a better future.

He said ‘I’m pleased this commemoration has fostered serious intellectual engagement beyond ceremony. Today’s papers address key government responsibilities: public accountability community involvement in tackling insecurity preserving our history and culture and linking security with socio-economic development.

‘These discussions guide this administration. Our Six-Point Rescue Agenda addresses the State’s challenges. At the same time the Zamfara State Development Plan 2025-2034 provides a long-term roadmap for the economy infrastructure social welfare human capital governance and environmental sustainability. We must turn these commitments into measurable improvements in people’s lives.

‘I sincerely appreciate all the presenters for the knowledge and experience they have brought to this occasion. I also thank the Chairman of the Occasion the discussants the organising committee and the Sub-Committee on Lecture and Publications for their contributions to this event. To all our guests and participants I am grateful for your presence and participation.’

Mayor Zamora inspects San Juan City Cemetery ahead of Undas

San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora inspected the San Juan City Cemetery as early as Thursday, Oct. 22, as part of the city government’s preparations for the upcoming observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, collectively known as Undas.

The inspection focused on the cemetery’s readiness to accommodate the expected influx of visitors, particularly in terms of cleanliness and sanitation, security arrangements, traffic management, public safety, and emergency response preparedness.

Zamora also assessed the coordination among concerned city government departments, law enforcement agencies, traffic enforcers, and emergency response personnel to help ensure a safe, orderly, and peaceful observance of this year’s Undas.

As part of its annual Oplan Undas preparations, the city government reiterated the guidelines and regulations cemetery visitors must follow, particularly during the extended Undas period from Oct. 26 to Nov. 2, when a significant increase in visitors is anticipated.

Visitors were reminded of the following:

Observe the designated cemetery visiting hours.

Maintain cleanliness and dispose of garbage properly.

Follow traffic regulations.

Use designated parking areas.

Cooperate with security personnel and cemetery authorities.

The city government also emphasized the prohibition of the following:

firearms

knives, ice picks, other bladed and sharp objects

alcoholic beverages

illegal drugs

gambling

loud sound systems that may disturb other visitors

Unauthorized vending without a valid Special Mayor’s Permit and unauthorized electrical connections are also prohibited. Bicycles and motorcycles were also not allowed inside the cemetery premises.

The city government is set to intensify the deployment of security personnel, traffic enforcers, sanitation teams, and emergency responders throughout the Undas period to maintain public order and ensure compliance with cemetery regulations.

Traffic management measures will also be implemented along Col. Bonny Serrano Avenue and surrounding streets to facilitate the movement of pedestrians and vehicles and help prevent congestion during the observance.

Through these preparations, the city government aims to provide a safe, peaceful, and orderly environment for San Juaneños and other visitors who will visit the cemetery to remember and pay tribute to their departed loved ones.