PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte called on Filipinos to be the agents of positive change and dedicate themselves to worthy causes as the entire nation remembers the departed this All Saints Day and All Souls Day.
“As we pause to honor our dearly departed and our saints, let us reflect on how we can become agents of positive change in our society,” the President said in a message released Tuesday.
“Let us contemplate on how we can make our country and this world a much better place for ourselves and for future generations,” he added.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald dela Rosa, on the other hand, urged the public marking All Saints Day to be vigilant against possible terrorist threats.
Anyone who notices anything suspicious in terminals or in cemeteries where people congregate should report this to the police, he added.
Metro Manila police chief Oscar Albayalde said some 5,355 policemen will be deployed to secure Metro Manila, assisted by 19,289 barangay watchmen, security guards and volunteers.
“Coordination has been made with local government units and other government agencies. Security patrols will be conducted in residential areas. We will also establish assistance hubs in all ports, bus terminals, churches, vital installations and other places of convergence identified by our field commanders,” Albayalde said.
There were few visitors to Metro Manila cemeteries Tuesday, which was declared a holiday.
Sidewalk vendors were among the first to arrive at the Bagbag Cemetery, Baesa Public Cemetery, Barangka Public Cemetery, and the Loyola Memorial Park to position their goods for sale to the public.
Vendors selling food and flowers have gone to the cemeteries early.
Metro Manila’s largest public cemeteries—the Manila North and South Cemetery—have yet to see massive crowds.
The Manila local government offers free rides for the public at the Manila North Cemetery.
About 1.5 million Filipinos are expected to flock into Manila’s cemeteries during November 1 and 2, All Sants’ Day and All Souls’ Day.
Malacañang has declared Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 as special non-working holidays.
The weather bureau said it will be a rainy two days starting Nov. 1 due to a low pressure area and the northeast monsoon affecting most parts of the country.
The low pressure area will bring cloudy skies with scattered rain and thunderstorms in the Visayas and other regions of Mimaropa, Bicol, Caraga, Davao, northern Mindanao and the rest of Calabarzon.
The provinces of Aurora, Quirino and Quezon will experience cloudy skies with scattered rain and thunderstorm caused by the tail end of a cold front.
Metro Manila, the provinces of Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, and the regions of Cordillera and Cagayan Valley will also experience light to moderate rain due to the northeast monsoon.
The Ilocos region and the rest of Central Luzon will be cloudy with isolated light rain. The rest of Minadanao will have isolated rain showers and thunderstorms.
With PNA
