Thousands flock to cemeteries for Undas 2019

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 1) – Thousands of Filipino Catholics trooped to the country's cemeteries to visit their departed loved ones to observe the "Undas" tradition.

As of 12 noon Friday, visitors in Manila North Cemetery in the country's capital have reached at least 340,100; 75,958 in Manila South Cemetery in Makati City; 9,900 in La Loma Cemetery and 3000 in Chinese Cemetery, authorities said.

Vendors are prohibited from selling inside the Manila South Cemetery and Manila North Cemetery to provide more space for the usually packed burial places during this time of year. Authorities have designated a selling area for them. which is near the cemeteries' entrance, to maintain order.

Vendors are prohibited from selling inside the Manila South Cemetery and Manila North Cemetery to provide more space for the usually packed burial places during this time of year. Authorities have designated a selling area for them. which is near the cemeteries' entrance, to maintain order.

Local police have confiscated flammable items in one of the oldest cemeteries in Manila. Among them are colognes, rubbing alcohol, cigarettes, and lighters.

The Philippine National Police has deployed over 35,000 of its personnel in cemeteries nationwide. At least 4,400 of them are in the big burial grounds in Metro Manila.

PNP spokesperson Bernard Banac said that so far, no untoward incident was reported since October 31.

Metro Manila police chief Debold Sinas, for his part, said that in the whole of National Capital Region, the celebration of All Saints' Day is generally "orderly and peaceful."

Sinas said during his inspection at the Loyola Memorial Park on Friday, "So far as of last night 12 o’clock ini-scan namin ang report ng buong NCR, wala namang major incident that at least disrupted the situation. Mga minor lang ang nangyari, nagkaroon tayo ng isang minor na sunog."

[Translation: So far, of last night 12 midnight, we scanned the report of NCR, and no major incident has disrupted the situation. Only one minor thing happened. A minor fire.]

Visitors started going to major burial places on the eve of November 1 to avoid the crowd.

Undas happens every November 1 where Filipino Catholics carry out the decades-long practice of visiting the graves of their departed loved ones to honor them.

CNN Philippines Correspondent Makoi Popioco, Gerg Cahiles and AC Nicholls contributed to this report.