Thousands of residents have begun visiting public and private cemeteries across this city and in nearby San Fernando town ahead of the observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day or ‘Undas’, taking advantage of the October 31 special non-working holiday declared by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
The additional day off gave families more time to visit their departed loved ones, clean graves, offer flowers, and light candles – long-standing Filipino traditions that mark the annual ‘Undas.’
In Valencia City, Mayor Amie Galario earlier issued an executive order outlining safety measures for ‘Kalag-Kalag 2025’.
Visiting hours are set from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on November 1 and November 2, with a liquor ban strictly enforced in all cemeteries to maintain peace and order.
City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office chief June Ray Valero said teams from the disaster office, police, and other peacekeeping units have been deployed across the city’s villages to manage crowd flow, direct traffic, and assist senior citizens and children visiting cemeteries.
At the city’s largest public cemetery, checkpoints were established to regulate entry and remind visitors of prohibited items such as sharp objects, gambling paraphernalia, loudspeakers, and the open burning of grass for paaso (smoke ritual). Designated areas were provided for paaso, while medical aid stations and vendor zones were organized outside the cemetery to prevent congestion.
City terminals also bustled with passengers heading to their hometowns to observe the long weekend and join the annual remembrance of their departed loved ones.
In San Fernando, the local government, led by Mayor Rogelio Yeke and Vice Mayor Jaesar Mae Yeke, held a trick-or-treat parade on Thursday afternoon.
Children in costumes and makeup paraded through the town center, joined by parents carrying baskets of candies.