Report: Filipinos start visiting cemeteries

All Souls' Day, November 2, the day for remembering the dead, is still several days away but many Filipinos have already started flocking to cemeteries to pay respect to their departed loved ones. Radio dzBB reported that many of those who went to the cemeteries early said they wanted to avoid the noise and the crowds. Some went to the cemeteries early to clean up and repaint the tombs of their loved ones, the dzBB report said. Millions of people flock to cemeteries on All Souls' Day, November 2, a Catholic feast day for remembering the dead. However, millions of Filipinos start flocking to cemeteries as early as November 1, All Saints' Day, also a Catholic feast for honoring all saints, both those who are known and the unknown. Many Filipinos even start visiting cemeteries on Halloween (also known as All Hallows' Eve), October 31, the eve of All Saints' Day (previously called All Hallows' Day). November 1 is a holiday but Malacañang has declared November 2 a regular working day. According to the dzBB report, vendors have started taking up prime positions at the Manila North and South Cemeteries. The police have also started patrolling these cemeteries, the report said. The Manila North Cemetery (MNC), also called Cementerio del Norte, measures 54 hectares and is considered the biggest memorial park in Metro Manila. It is also one of the oldest cemeteries in the area. MNC is owned by the Manila City government. Beside it are two other important cemeteries, the La Loma Cemetery and the Manila Chinese Cemetery. On the other hand, the Manila South Cemetery (MSC) is a 25-hectare memorial park in Makati City. –VVP, GMANews.TV