City encourages early cemetery cleaning to avoid crowding, traffic

The city government encourages the public to start cleaning the tombs of their departed loved ones in the various private and public cemeteries to avoid crowding and traffic in consideration of the ongoing coronavirus disease pandemic.

Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong recently issued Executive Order No. 119, series of 2022 reconstituting the executive committee for ‘Oplan Kaluluwa’ 2022 which is an annual activity of the city and the Baguio City Police Office to address concerns on safety, security and crowd management during the observance of All Souls Day and All Saints Day.

The EO installs City Administrator Bonifacio Dela Peña as the action officer of the committee with the following members: Baguio City Police Office, City Treasurer’s Office, City Engineering Office, City Health Services Office, City Environment and Parks Management Office, and barangay representatives from Kias, Fort Del Pilar and Irisan.

Also, members of the committee are the following divisions of the City Mayor’s Office: Permits and Licensing Office, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and the Public Information Office.

During the initial meeting of the committee on Friday, members agreed to implement a scheduled cleaning and visiting day per district to avoid crowding and properly manage traffic of vehicles.

This system was implemented during the last two years of the pandemic to ensure adherence to minimum public health standards.

While awaiting any proclamation from the national government, the committee deemed it proper to schedule cleaning time from October 8 to 22 for all public and private cemeteries in the city so that bringing of cleaning tools from October 23 onwards will no longer be allowed for safety purposes.

The CEPMO was tasked to finalize the schedule of cleaning and visiting per district including those coming from other places.

The request of vendors to sell flowers and candles in time for the Oplan Kaluluwa 2022 observance is yet to be decided as the CEPMO looks for appropriate venues since the Jadewell and Ganza areas being used as vending areas in the past years are now utilized as parking spaces. – JMPS